Chapter 18: Cliché

Anna opened her eyes; soft, pale skin being the first thing she laid her eyes on. Anna let her eyes trail upwards, taking note that she had fallen asleep on Elsa as they lay together on the couch, the ginger's head nuzzled into Elsa's neck as the rest of her body was encompassed by her older sister. Anna smiled at her still asleep sister as she squeezed the older girl's hand; fingers intertwined with each other from the night before.

Anna sighed, smiling as she remembered how they watched a cheesy horror movie the night before, causing Elsa to jump every time there was a cheap jump scare, or nuzzle closer to Anna anytime there was a scary part in the movie.

Everything was perfect. Nothing could be better for the younger girl. Finally, Anna was feeling as though she was helping, and indeed she was, based on the uncharacteristic actions of her older sister. Elsa was thoroughly and genuinely enjoying Anna's company, and if her actions and demeanor wasn't evidence enough, then the soft kisses of affection and longing looks of love and contentment would surely convince anyone.

Anna kissed her Elsa's neck, thinking of her and only her as her lips brushed against the soft and sweet-smelling skin of her older sister. The redhead studied her sister and how she slept, smiling as she took notice of the blonde mess that was now Elsa's hair, and the way that Elsa's belly would rise and fall on the short breaths that the older girl breathed in through her mouth. Anna's sky-blue eyes twinkled as she gazed upon her sister as she slept, not wanting to move from the comfort and security that Elsa's arms had to offer.

But such fallacies were not meant to be, as a shrill beeping noise awakened Elsa and caused Anna to suddenly remember what day it was.

Her father's funeral.

"Holy shit, sis," Elsa said, sleepily. "What time is it?"

Anna looked over to the alarm clock beside the couch that Elsa had prepared the night before to ensure a reasonable wake up time.

"Its eight forty-five," the younger girl said, still in her sister's embrace but visibly saddened that she wasn't able to lay with ehr any longer than she had. "We need to get ready, huh?"

Elsa smiled at her younger sister, inducing a smile on Anna as well, as Elsa leaned in and kissed her sister softly. "Yeah, we better start getting ready, rabbit."

Anna hummed as Elsa pulled away from their kiss. "I love it when you call me that."

"Well, I like to call you that, so looks like it's a win-win, huh?" Elsa asked as she stood up from the couch.

Anna nodded in agreement as she watched her sister stretch; cringing when she heard Elsa's back snap as rapid as a firecracker. "I don't necessarily like it when you do that, though."

Elsa let out a pretend laugh, turning to face Anna as the older girl reached the beginning of the staircase. "Yeah? Well, I don't like it when you use all the hot water, so that's why I'm taking a shower first!"

And with that, Elsa stuck out her tongue at the younger girl, and made her way upstairs.

Anna giggled at her sister in her full form of cuteness. "You better not use all of the hot water! I'd hate to have to kick your butt!"

Anna brought her dangling legs into the all-original crisscross-applesauce stance as she sat on the couch, hearing the water start to run above her, playing with her tangled red hair as she smiled like a schoolgirl.

God, I love her. I really, really love her.


Elsa and Anna sat together on the family pew, listening to the sounds of feet trying to quietly scuffle to seats behind them without disturbing the quiet piano tune that played from the speakers around the sanctuary. The church was decorated with white lily flowers and orchids, complementing the dark stained wood walls of the small church. And there, among an arrangement of Chrysanthemums shaped to look like a heart was a picture of their dad with his two daughters; the casket just behind it.

The stained wood of the pews reflected Elsa's demeanor, being both dark and strong. There was a box of Kleanex between the two sisters which was already opened and used by Anna as she sat in her black dress and coat, holding a tissue up to her nose as she sniffled. Elsa looked over to her sister's saddened face, finally getting Anna's attention as two sets of blue eyes met each other. Elsa saw the hurt and pain in her sister's face; Anna's eyes reddened as they held back tears. So badly did Elsa want to take her pain away, to make Anna not have to feel anything like what she was feeling ever again.

Elsa placed her hand on Anna's, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze before reaching over to take a tissue from the box herself.

The blonde wiped her eyes free from the saddened tears welling up behind them, making sure not to smudge or smear her makeup, although she was sure it would be ruined later on that day. She had counted on it.

In from the front door came Rapunzel and her mother and father, and although they were usually a happy and bright bunch, the status quo didn't fit them this day. The family was clad in sable clothing; their skin was more pale than usual, and Rapunzel's mom, Primrose, looked especially bleak at the passing of her brother.

The family sat down in the pew behind where the two sisters were sitting, but Rapunzel went to the sisters' row, hugging them both before joining them in their seat, sitting beside Elsa and letting Anna return to her spot to Elsa's left.

"Hey guys," Rapunzel said, putting a reassuring smile across her lips. "I'm happy to see you both. I wish they were under better circumstances."

Anna nodded, patting her wet cheek with a tissue before smiling back at her cousin. "We're happy to see you too. Maybe after this we can all go somewhere and catch up?" Anna let her head fall, looking down to her lap where her hands were. "I still have some apologizing to do."

Rapunzel shook her head. "Listen, if you're talking about the phone call the other day, then don't worry about it," the blonde said playfully, trying to make the mood seem less depressing. "It was as much my fault as anyone's. Well, besides Elsa's, that is."

Elsa turned around, smiling, and jokingly smacked a snickering Rapunzel on the arm. "I told you I was gonna tell her!" Elsa raised her head up and batted her eyes, pointing a chin at the other blonde. "Besides, Anna already told me she likes a girl in uniform." Elsa turned to her sister. "Isn't that right, Rabbit?"

Anna's cheeks were ablaze at the thought of Elsa in her ACUs. She felt the warmness spread across her face, and as a precautionary measure, grabbed a tissue and acted like she was rubbing her nose with it, trying to cover up the freckled fields of red that were her cheeks.

"Y-yeah," Anna said behind the tissue. "It looks adorable on her."

As soon as Anna had finished her statement, the preacher walked onto the pulpit, and opened his bible. "Friends and family of Adgar Valentine, I thank you all for being here today to commemorate the passing of this wonderful man. Let us bow our heads to glorify the lord, and thank him for all his goodness."

Everyone stood up. Elsa stood, sighing as she did so, but felt her hand become intertwined with her sister's. Elsa looked over to her sister, meeting her gaze. Anna gave her a reassuring nod, and then bowed her head.

Elsa breathed deeply, feeling a tear start to form. Here we go. I hope Anna can get me through this.


The service was tear-filled and bleak; the entirety of the church was filled with sobs and tears of friends and family of the father. The only thing that kept the two sisters from breaking down into a fit of crying and sorrow was them holding each other's hands; wiping each other's faces free from the salty tears that found their way out from behind the eyes of the two young girls.

After the service was up, everyone who wasn't coming to the burial walked past the casket to pay their final respects, and soon it was just the two girls alone with their father; all the rest were on their way to the burial site.

"The pallbearers are waiting outside," Elsa said, folding her arms in front of her as she drooped her head.

Anna nodded her head slightly, looking at the ground. "Yeah. I think they're waiting on us to say our goodbyes."

The redhead heard her older sister sniffle.

"I don't want to," Elsa said weakly, her voice breaking.

Anna turned to face her sister, pulling her in for a hug. The redhead felt her sister tense up with every single sob, feeling her sister's pain for herself.

"I don't want to say goodbye either," Anna said, stroking the soft, blonde hair of her older sister as she tried to comfort her. "But sometimes we have to. The best things in this world can sometimes leave in an instant, but try to remember the times you had with him. Everyone goes through loss once in their life, and I'm going to do all I can do to make sure you don't have to suffer any more than you already have."

Anna pulled Elsa away from her embrace, putting on a comforting smile as she met a watery gaze from Elsa. The younger girl wiped the blonde's cheeks free from the trails of the tears that she shed and grabbed Elsa's hand.

Anna pulled Elsa towards the casket. "Let's go talk to our dad."


It wasn't as cold outside as it had normally been that December, but even still, Elsa remained close to Anna's side as she watched the casket slowly make its way down under the earth. Whether anyone thought that the older sister was cold or looking for warmth in the embrace of her younger sibling, truly Elsa stayed in the arms of Anna to keep her mind in the safest and most sane place she could. It was Anna that could ease the pain of watching your own father be put into the ground, and only Anna. The tears that fell from both girls watered the ground, cascading with all the pain that they had felt since the fateful day of the invasion.

And soon thereafter, the funeral was over. The ground where his casket lay was in the process of being filled back to its entirety; the two daughters of Adgar received hugs and promises of thoughts and prayers. And as the two girls held hands and walked to their car, they found a dark figure leaning against Elsa's car, smoking a cigar. Anna squeezed Elsa's hand tighter and looked up at her with worried and cautious eyes. Elsa met her gaze, but gave her a reassuring nod, pulling Anna closer to her as they approached the figure.

It wasn't too long before both girls knew exactly who it was that waited on them to make their departure.

Inspector Fiske waited patiently through the entire service to talk to Elsa and Anna.

And Elsa wasn't sure what to expect.