title Girl Anachronism

author pinkeop

summary Behold the world's worst accident, I am the girl anachronism. ( AU )

authors note Thanks again for your reviews! Last chapter took something out of me- but I'm really excited for this one. This one I liked writing- and also, read it and you'll get to see what pairing this is going to turn out to be. Ana/Sweeney? Todd/Lovett? Who knows?!

I do! Don't forget to review- they really do keep me motivated! No Dresden Doll lyrics this time, either. Nickleback, because I 3 them.

This is a NAUGHTY chapter, so young childred ADVERT YOUR EYES. There are ADULT THEMES in this chapter.

And you all finally get to know the fecking pairing. Go, review!

Love!

Pink Elephants on Parade

--

chapter eight Gillyflowers, maybe. . .

Believe it or not, everyone have things that they hide

Believe it or not, everyone keeps most things inside

Believe it or not, everyone, believe in something above

Believe it or not, everyone, needs to feel loved

Ana wasn't sure how she found herself sitting up in the dark shop, but there she was. The rest of the picnic had gone swimmingly- she and Toby had even had a race around the park. Mr. Todd didn't crack anything that looked like the shadow of a smile, but Nellie smield enough for the both of them. They'd returned at high afternoon and as Nellie took Toby inside to start getting read for the rush that dinner would be, Ana followed Mr. Todd up to his shop and invited herself down to sit in his chair, her legs curled up to her chest. The barber simply went to pacing, not at all concerned about her presence. That odd feeling hadn't gone away, and Ana couldn't quite pin point what it was anymore, less than before, really. Something inside her stirred, however and it put a weight on her chest. She simply attributed the feeling to her refound desire to return home- or find her way back home, which was looking more and more bleak with each passing day. It should have been enough to make her cry- but she hadn't any tears left.

Green eyes followed the barber back and forth and he paced to and front in front of the slanted window. Ana wrapped her arms around her legs, resting her chin on her knees. She could remember in the back of her mind, the man's rough hannds untangling her from within herself. A fleeting moment of... not kindness, but a grief that matched one anothers for a small second. She wondered, vaugely, if she was jsut another vermin to him. She wanted to doubt it, but with Mr. Todd you never really knew what he thought. To ask- to even speak -would surely get her sent away. She figured the only reason he let her sit up there with him after the picnic was because she was keeping her big mouth shut. But they both were- the silence was beginning to get too freaking loud for Ana.

The girl let out a loud sigh and for the first time since they returned from the park, he turned his head to look at her. A snarl fit over his lips appropriately. Ana looked up at him and met his eyes, dark from what she could see. They watched each other for some time.

"What?" he growled. Always with the assuming! Ana gave him a heavy glare and shrugged her shoulders.

"Nothing, sir," Ana replied. Mr. Todd grunted.

"Leave me, then," he said montonously. Ana thought it would be a charmingly intellegent idea to do as he said. But it could be quickly deducted that Ana was not a charmingly intellegent girl- in fact, she was rather stupid. For when the barber demanded she leave him, she didn't. She just looked at him with a tired expression on her face. Mr. Todd's moods changed so quickly it was disgusting. It could leave someone very discombobulated. Ana's brows furrowed as she watched him. He was back to looking out the window. When she didn't move, the man turned halfway, grinding out through gritted teeth,

"Get out!" Mr. Todd snarled. He sounded rather angry. Ana chewed the inside of her cheek.

"But I'm not doing anything to bother you!" Ana complained. It was one thing for him to send her out when she hindered his ability to sulk and wallow in his own misery in peace- she would go without complaint. But here she'd been sitting, amazingly non-whiney, quietly enjoying the pacing barber's company.

"I said get out!" Mr. Todd snapped as if she wasn't worth his time.

"Why can't I stay here?" Ana demanded. Mr. Todd's hand came slamming down on the sill of the bay window.

"For what?" he snarled. "Your company? Your company's starting to pester me already! Now, get- out!"

Ana glared right back at him as he gave her a look to kill. Why he was being so unreasonable, she didn't know, but she did know that his reasons would never be spoken aloud.

"No wonder you're always like this," Ana muttered, looking around the room. "You're always up here all alone- and this isn't really the homiest of places. I bet if you put up some flowers- gillyflowers, maybe..."

Mr. Todd growled and stalked towards the chair. "Been spending too much time with the baker, 'ave you?" His grip on her arm surprised her as he hauled her to her feet, waiting politely for her to get her footing before shoving her away from the chair. She stumbled slightly in her effort to turn and land a slap on his arm, yet he was too quick for her and one strong hand grabbed hers, crushing her thin fingers together harshly. His lip curled up in distaste and Ana had a strong urge to wipe it off his face. Instead, she swallowed and snatched her hand away, flexing her fingers from where he crushed them. She could feel her breath quicken, along with her rising temper.

Mr. Todd grabbed her by the arm, as if to start maching her out of hte barber shop- but Ana had made the resolve that if she was going to deal with his ever changing moods and temper tantrums, he was no longer going to handle her like a boy, even if she knew that he knew she could take it. The girl jerked back from him and when he turned his head to deliver one of his infamous barbed verbal blows, her hand came palm first into his cheek, the sound of skin on skin contact sharp. He was only caught off gaurd just slightly, his head turned onyl a fraction of an inch, eyes catching the light in surprise. A red mark burned glaringly on his cheek where Ana had struck him- his eyes flashed dangerously. Before he could release his wrath, however, Ana pressed one sharp finger into his chest.

"Stop that," Ana snarled. "Stop grabbing me, pulling me, fucking handling me like some doll!" She almost turned away from him and fled, for his eyes were narrowed to slits, but isntead went on, laying down the law, hoping to sound final in her descision. "If I'm going to put up with your stupid temper tantrums I'm not going to let you throw me around! So next time you think it's a good idea to drag me around, don't." Her breathing was haggered, and they both stood in rather defensive stances, unnervingly close, Ana raised on her toes to make sure her point was well known. Mr. Todd looked lividly down at her, but then something changed in his expression. It scared her. He looked too calm for her liking.

"And another thing," Ana manged to stutter out. But her progress to bitching was hated as Mr. Todd's hand came up to her cheek, as if to strike her, but his big hand gripped her cheek and hcin, jerking and forcing her to face toward him. He wasn't at all gentle about it, of course she would never expect him to be. His tumb pressed against her lips, hushing her effectively. His grip was harsh and she knew more sharp, striking purple bruises would dot her fair, pale skin. What was it with this man and man-handling her? This really needed to stop and her earlier warning had obviously fallen on deaf ears. His breathing was as heavy as hers, his body towering threateningly over her. HIs fingers flexed, digging into her ashen flesh.

"Quite while you're ahead and shut up," Mr. Todd hissed sharply. "You talk far too much."

She was like gasoline and he was a match- she wasn't really sure if she could handle that. The two stood like that for some time, neither daring to move. Ana could feel her temper ready to break. She knew, in the back of her mind, that the smart idea would be to turn and leave him be just as he demanded, but Ana learned quickly that if she didn't finish something with Mr. Todd, it would brew uncomfortably until it broke. Like a fever. And so they stood, neither daring to move until finally Mr. Todd shoved her away by the face. Her skin burned from the harsh grip and she watched his fingers curl into tight fists. He began to raise one, pausing, momentarily, at hip-level.

"You gonna hit me?" Ana hissed, stupidly, her temper making her blind. No, Mr. Todd was above hitting a lady, despite how he bullied her around. Ana had almost forgotten about the extension of his arm as his hand moved to the leather holister at his hip. That bright silver razor flashed in the light. That was her cue to step back, and she did, as Mr. Todd advanced on her with his razor branished in his hand, held aloft, tauntingly. Ana swallowed thickly as an elated, taunting expression hardened his face. Ana felt her back hit the wall by the door and her breath caught in her throat.

The cool blade chilled her skin as it was smoothed against her throat. Her temper felt to have been slapped from her and her eyes twisted shut, feeling his breath ghost across her forehead, panting in time with her. In. Out. In. Out. The blade pet along her throat, smoothing over the swell of her breast.

"Somet hings you do make you very stupid," Mr. Todd snarled, his tone sounding angry and livid and it was almost enough to scare her. Almost. "Others aggrevating, and some even admirable. But mostly very stupid," he rpessed the blade to the skin of her throat. Ana opened his eyes, flashing green irises meeting cold black pupils.

The match hit the gasoline.

"Kill me, then!" Ana snarled. She only said it because she knew he wouldn't. Mr. Todd had to please a few people to keep up the way he was. This was a partnership and they needed each other, even if he wouldn't admit it out loud. Mr. Todd killed, Nellie took care of the evidence, and Ana kept her big mouth shut, helping Nellie keep all of London oblivious to what was really going on. She supposed he could kill her, silence her for good, if he really wanted, but that didn't mean he would. It also didn't mean Ana didn't piss herself in fear when the man pressed the blade again her throat a bit harder. The two stood for a while, steaming and glaring and wanting ever so badly to break each other down int he worst way. Something in his expression changed in a fraction of a second.

"Let go of me," Ana snarled. He leaned further into her, the blade leaving dents in her flesh. She winced. Taking the risk and slicing her own neck with the movements of her throat, she pressed forward, feeling the skin slice just the slightest as she delivered her verdict.

"Let go of---!!!"

Her words were swallowed by his lips, the sound of the razor clattering to the floor somewhere in the back of her mind. Her neck throbbed where the skin was actually cut. But it was just a flesh wound and would scab over within minutes. His lips were hard and cold and he felt as if he hadn't kissed a woman in such a long time- Ana figured he hadn't. But it was an angry kiss, no feelings, just raw rage. Ana's head felt light and she reached up to grab his hair, pulling so hard that a few strands of black stringy mess broke off in her fingers. She wasn't sure if she was trying to pull him off her, but the way his hand thread through her hair and grabbed the back of her head harshly, she wasn't sure if she physically could. His other hand was hard on her hip, shoving her back against the wall. Ana had kissed few boys in her life and no men. The kiss now was sloppy, Mr. Todd using his teeth mouth than his lips, and she could taste blood in her mouth. Oh, what would her mother say? That particular thought fled with his sharp grip on her waist.

The kiss was angry to begin with- and it only escalated. She trailed her hands from his hair to cup his jaw line. Her nails dug into his flesh as she tried to pry hi moff, but his lips were far too insistive, his fingers gripping the back of her head and her hip. Instead of pushing him away, soon she was holding his head in place, making sure he wouldn't get too far away from her. His hand that cradled the back of her head came smoothing down, molding every curve of her body from her throat to her hip, where he gripped her tightly and pulled her towards him, pressing their bodies together. Not gently, not tenderly- harshly. Bruises would surely form under her dress from how harshly he gripped her. Tears of pain pricked at her eyes when he bit her lip and caused more blood to dribble into her mouth. He growled against her lips and suddenly brushed them bruisingly along her jaw, giving Ana a chance to breath.

"Mr. Todd..." Ana said breathlessly. The man's kisses became less proding and sharp. The anger slowly ebbed away, providing only enough rage to fuel a few moments of mindless indulgence.

"Mr. Todd..." Ana said again, swallowing down her worries. Mr. Todd's lips rested on her throat, but he was no longer kissing, just resting there. Shakily, Ana wrapped her arms around his head, hugging him to her. And they stood like that for a while, panting, sweat prickling at their brows. This was a side of Mr. Todd that scared her the most. A side she was sure Nellie hadn't seen- and that scared her even more. Both of his hands now rested just lightly on her hips and pressed her far back against the wall as allowed. She had to learn on her toes to keep her arms gently wrapped around his head. Her lips felt bruised and raw and her scalp prickled with pain where he had clutched her hair and ripped out a few broken strands. She was even sure bruises dotted her hips and back. It'd all happened so quick and so angry that now Ana felt so out of it now that everything was over, so quickly over.

"I'm sure Nellie needs my help downstairs..." Ana stammered. Mr. Todd pulled away form her all too suddenly for her liking. He looked down at her with a dark expression. He tilted his head, as if regaurding something that disgusted him. Ana's eyes narrowed. Finally, he placed one hand ever so gently on her shoulder and turned her towards the door.

"You mustn't keep Mrs. Lovett waiting, then," Mr. Todd nearly whispered. Ana nodded quietly, making her way towards the door- but it swung open and Antony stood, panting, his face red from obviously running.

"Mr. Todd! Miss Ana, m'am- tomorrow is the night. I'm going tomorrow night. I've already spoken to Mrs. Lovett, and she said- Oh, anyway, I'll have Johanna here by tomorrow's night fall!" Antony finally sputtered out what he was trying to say. Ana turned to look at Mr. Todd- his face had given away to a softer expression. He nodded calmly. Antony's face beamed.

"Miss Ana has agreed to keep Johanna hidden until I return with a coach. She's a real lady!" Antony grabbed Ana's hand and squeezed before looking to Mr. Todd, who had his dark eyes fixed on the girl. "I'll bring her during the dinner rush, if all goes well... Lots of people will make it harder to find her if something goes... wrong."

"Nonsense," Ana said sharply. "Everything is going to go fine. Go, now. I'll make sure everything is ready for tomorrow night, for Johanna."

Antony's smile only faltered a little as he wrapped her up in a tight, painfully greatful hug. He was a great one for the hugs. "Thank yeh, miss!" he said into her hair before stepping back and shaking Mr. Todd's hand vigerously. "Wish me luck, my friend!"

He was gone, then, the sound of his footsteps trumping down the stairs. Ana and Mr. Todd were once again left in silence. She could feel his eyes watching her as she smoothed down the layers of her skirt, avoiding his gaze. Ana was forced to deal with the awkward tension in the room- from Antony's resent repature, from the earlier rage, from the... the kiss. Ana's lips still felt swollen and she was sure her hair was a mess from where he'd grabbed it so roughly in his hands. Mr. Todd moved towards the window, throwing himself into a full blown pace, his fingers clenching and unclenching at his sides. Ana watched him, unsure if she should leave or if he wanted to yell at her some more. Deciding that it was safe to escape to the shop downstairs, she started for the door.

"Send the boy up," was the barber's final call, not caring to face her. Ana glanced over her shoulder.

"Yes, sir," she responded, leaving the parlor door open as she stepped out onto the landing. Toby was in the court, scrubbing down a table. Ana hovered at the bottom stair, watching him for a moment.

"Toby," Ana said softly, taking the final step off and moving towards the shop door. "Mr. Todd needs you."

"Right, m'am!" Toby chirpped, abandoning his table and starting up the stairs. Ana sighed, entering the shop, sliding down onto the stool behind the counter. She was alone for a while, allowed to think on her sins. Just that morning Nellie had been swooning about the sea and a family and marriage. That seemed a life time ago, now. Especially now as the clouds began to cover the sky, leaving a dull, gray glow. Ana's brows furrowed to the middle of her forehead. She jumped out of her skin when Nellie came up from the bakehouse and surpried her with her sudden appearance. Ana swallowed down her yelp of surprise and tried not to look too shame faced.

"There you is!" Nellie said brightly, carrying a tray of pies lightly in two hands. "Thought you was never gonna come down. What was yeh-" Nellie set the tray down and her eyes narrowed slightly. Ana could feel the bruises on her face, galringly obviously to the observant baker. She moved closer and raised a tender hand to tilt Ana's chin slightly. "Thems is nasty," she murmured. Then her eyes hit the now lightl scabbed cut on the middle of her throat. The baker's brown eyes widened and she clenched her teeth, looking fairly unhappy. "Was 'e rough wiv you? Bloody bloke, I'm always tellin' 'im 'e can't be--"

"Nellie- I'm fine, really. We had a bit of a row- I hit myself on his damn chair, and tripped, the cut was an accident, but I'm fine. Really, Nells. It's all coming up roses." Ana assured, taking the kind woman's hand and moving it away from her face. "It was just a little row, I swear."

Ana could feel the guilt lapping at the edges of her heart. It certianly had been one hell of a row... Ana didn't have the heart or the courage to tell the baker what had happened. She had a small feeling that she had betrayed the woman, even if the kiss had been, really, out of raw rage and anger, nothing more- at least Ana hoped -she still felt the crushing guilt. Nellie loved that man up there- why, Ana would never know, he wasn't a nice man, nor was he particularly gentle. Perhaps she, like many other unrequited lovers, was smitten with the memory of what the man had been. Ana closed her eyes as Nellie tenderly looked over the bruises on her chin with a scrutinizing expression.

"We'll 'ave a talk later," Nellie warned. Ana's stomach sank further and she nodded her head. "Good," Nellie agreed. "Now, where's the boy?"

Ana nodded upward. "Mr. Todd sent for him after Antony came up."

A look of recognition lifted the bakers face. "Aye! I almost nearly forgot! Mr. T's Johanna 's gonna be 'ere before the week is out! Oh, he'll be so 'appy..." Nellie smiled warmly. "Go finish cleanin' up them tables, would yeh, love? I've got another two dozen pies to bring up..."

"Of course, Nells," Ana said quickly, jumping from her stool and moving quickly to her task, where Toby's wash rag lay abandoned at the table near by. She scrubbed silently away at the tables as Nellie retreated back down to the bakehouse. Her stomach felt sick with anticipation. Tomorrow would go just fine, she told herself. Antony and Johanna would return right during the height of supper time, when people were so busy they didn't even notice that every third man that went up for a shave never came down. No, to worry would be awfully silly o fher. But still, no matter how hard she scrubbed away at that able, Ana couldn't wash away her mounting, building guy blowing guilt. If anyone would be the death of her, it was sure to be the demon baber of fleet street.

Later that night, much later as Ana lay with her head burried in Nellie's shoulder as the woman slept cozily with one arm wrapped around her, Mr. Todd's pacing started up abruptly. She hadn't been sleeping well, her stomach too sick. She listened for a while, the pacing like a music, all most. He was troubled about something- not just pacing for the sake of waiting until morning. No, something was on his mind, his quick hurried steps back and forth slamming into the floor boards above, making the ceiling creak and rattle, dust flittering down in waves. Taking it upon herself to be the stupidest person alive, Ana quietly extracted herself from Nellie's warm embrace, and padded across the cold wood floor, her unflattering night gown swishing around her ankles. She glanced back at Nellie, making sure the woman slept soundly, before exiting the room.

Sneaking past Toby was a breeze, for the boy drank so much he was passed out on the couch with the blanket half off him, drooling towards the still blazing fire. It warmed her legs as she padded past it. Trying to be sneaky about getting out of the shop, Ana had to reach up on her tip toes and grab the bell above the door as she opened it, making sure it didn't ring too much. But it still jingled just the slightest. Once outside, she went up the steps on nimble bare feet, only stumbling once at the very top. A momentary battle with herself resulted in the reasonable side losing, and Ana pushing open the door ever so lightly, listening to his bell jingle clearly into the night air.

Mr. Todd whirled around to face her, his expression not angry, but more very uncertain, miserable, even. He'd been pacing infront of his window, as per usual. Ana stood in the door way, feeling unnerved as he eyed her, until the man turned away from her, falling into his barber chair with a dramatic flourish, his arms slung over the sides, his razor held limply between his fingers. Ana took it as a sign she was allowed in, and closed the door behind her.

"Wot you doin' up?" the man growled from his chair. "Wot you doin' 'ere?"

Ana hovered by the trunk. "I couldn't sleep," she said, smoothing her fingers over some tearing wall paper. "And I heard you start pacing. Thought I'd come up and see what the matter was."

He didn't say anything. Ana's eyes wandered to the cot, the blankets askew and the pillow freshly crumpled. "Had you been sleeping?" she asked, almost with insulting surprise. "You have a bad dream or summat?"

Mr. Todd laughed a harsh laugh- more like an insulting cackle, really. But he didn't answer her- she decided she'd been far off. She moved closer to him, but kept her eyes over his head, on the window, dark, reflecting back the room. "I couldn't sleep," she repeated. "Every time I closed my eyes I kept seeing my mum. I miss her..." Ana never thought'd she'd admit that, nevertheless say it outloud. "She was a right bitch, but... you know, she's my mum."

Mr. Todd glanced at her wickedly, his face no longer holding amusement. But he wasn't angry, either. Just there. That's all he ever was. Like a rock, stuck in the side of the stream.

Ana's hand rested lightly on the back of the chair as she stood at his side. She looked down at him finally. The question as off her lips before she could stop it- it really hadn't been meant to be said allowed. "Why'd you kiss me?"

His jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed, but he looked away from her.

"When I know, Ana, I'll surely tell you.." he snarled.

"No need to be hostile, I won't hold it against you," she murmured. "Or to you.. or anything. It's what it was, right? Just a kiss. Nothing more." She pat the back of the chair. "I suppose I'll... maybe suck down some gin. That ought'a get me to sleep."

"No use," Mr. Todd murmured. "The boy drank the last of it. Besides, as it were you need to be at your best tomorrow for Johanna and Antony. We can't have you half drunk."

Ana snorted, but other wise argued nothing against him. She stood in silence there for a while, listening to him breath, staring out into the blackness beyond the window, watching her figure move ever so slightly in the reflective glass. Mr. Todd looked so pale, so pallid, so sad. She looked down at him with an unsually sympathetic expression.

"I'll be going, then," she murmured. When she made to turn, however, his arm snapped out and his hand latched onto her wrist, dragging her back. She thought perhaps he was going to scolde her into keeping her mouth shut about the kiss- which was what she intended to do, of course! -but she moved too far over, and she felt herself being tugged down into the chair. Her butt hit his thighs and his other hand moved around to grasp her legs and haul them over the arm of the chair. She grasped at his shirt in surprise, afraid she was going to topple over his legs, but he held her securely to him, her face pressed into his collar bone. She sat stiffly and awkwardly in his new position. She wasn't one to question Mr. Todd's motives- yeah, right!! -but this was all together too... not him.

"Mr. Todd..." she began, but she felt his hand tighten around her thigh so harshly it hurt.

"You still talk too damn much," he snarled. At this, Ana bit her lip and shut up, resting her head into the appex between shoulder and throat. It was a while before she was able to relax in his arms, and an even longer while before he was able to relax with her in his lap, holding her so awkwardly he felt like he'd never even touched a woman before. Ana noticed the way he would tense when she shifted her face and her breath would ghost over his neck, and soon she began to make a game of it idly to entertain herself.

Finally, after a good ten minutes of her breathing warm air from her nostrils and cold air from her slightly puckered looks on his skin, her entire body lifted and she squealed in surprise as the man carried her across the room in three big strides, and they were both suddenly on the cot, making it creak with the weight, the blankets and quilts Nellie had piled for him fluffing up around them, making a fort of blankets and fluff of sorts.

Ana tensed as she felt the man wrap his arms around her, drawing her to him. She was beyond asking his motivations- as he said, she did talk too much. Instead she let him rest his cheek on the top of her head and closed her eyes, trying to calm her breathing. Their legs tangled together and they lay mounds of blankets, hidden from view, warmth creeping up Ana's legs. A strong hand, soft as it was, touched her hip and she raised her eyes to look at her dear Mr. Todd- he didn't say a word, just looked away from her, his brows knit together. But that hand stayed on her hip, gently kneading her skin. She was surprised everytime he touched her she wasn't getting a new bruise. He stroked his hand from her hip to the side of her thigh, and suddenly his eyes snapped down to her and they flashed devilishly- she was almost scared to have come up. He hitched her leg around his hip as he leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead.

Ana wasn't sure what happened from there- or how it happened, but it just... did. It happened. One moment she was hyperventalating, saying his name over and over and trying to push him off her with weak arms, then next she found that she didn't particularly want him to stop whatever it was he was doing with just his breath along her throat. It was clumsy, of course, as she'd never been with a man, and it was obvious how long it had been since he'd been with a woman. She'd clocked him in the temple with her elbow when he roughly ripped her out of her night gown, and she'd gotten another dark bruise around her stomach when he slammed her back into the cot when she tried to wriggle away again, murmuring about how they shouldn't get into this.

He wouldn't listen, of course. Soon she wasn't bothering to tell him much of anything. She'd just concentrated on how he touched her- roughly, not at all soft like she'd thought she'd always wanted. But firmly, making sure to remember every awkward bump and curve of her body. They didn't kiss. They didn't look at each other. He grabbed her hips and angled them upwards and she bit into his shoulder to stop the screech that threatened to escape her vocals. It wasn't as pleasurable as it was painful. The pain didn't ebb away like she read in the romance stories. But she didn't stop him- she didn't correct him, because she was sure he wouldn't care.

Imagine her surprise when they lay side by side, sweating, Ana wincing in slight discomfort, that his hand disappeared under the covers and brought her to a writing bliss before the night was out.

She fell asleep by his side. Not in his arms, but close enough. It was dangerous, she knew, for Nellie had a habit of waking early and doing her rounds. And if she were to find them the way they were, Ana would risk breaking what had become her best friend's heart. But when she tried to roll out of the cot for the final time before her eyes got to heavy, he simply dragged her back and tossed the blankets over her head with a comical grunt.

Just a few minutes, Ana reasoned with herself. Then she would go regaurdless of his temper tantrums. Just a few minutes.

The night paced peacefully, neither moving from their spots.