Chapter 10:

It was two weeks into September, one day away from Elsa's birthday. Anna wanted to celebrate her but seeing how Elsa was really in no mood for celebrations, she found it inappropriate.

Anna understood of course, having gone through tough relationships herself. She was surprised she got an answer when she asked Elsa why she was so upset. It had been three days since the blonde girl and herself had gone for a run. Elsa remained in the door room if she wasn't at school or work. She found her lying in bed more often than not. Her responses would range from yes to no or maybe.

"Elsa, is something wrong? You've been acting different lately. Like, really different. I didn't even react this different when I found out Santa didn't really eat the chocolate chip cookies I baked. I mean, really? All that effort for just a fictional character?" Anna stopped when Elsa shifted in her bed, emitting a light sob. Anna quickly ran and sat next to her. "I'm not leaving until you tell me what's up. And you know that's true."

There was a short silence until Elsa finally spoke.

"Let's- let's just say you're not the only one going through relationship issues." Elsa's reluctance towards Anna's eyes was made evident.

"Well, I'm not anymore and it was thanks to you, Elsa. Let me help you. At least get it off your chest."

"It's about Ian."

"Ian?"

"My boyfriend. God, I don't even know whether I should even call him that anymore."

"Did he do something to you?" Anna demanded defensively.

"No, no. I guess I deserved it."

"No one deserves heartbreak, Elsa. No one."

"He cheated on me. He cheated on me because I didn't spend enough time with him. I'm always doing this or that-"

"That's no excuse and it's not your fault!"

"I don't know what to do."

"You can't go back to him, but you probably don't understand that now. Not here anyway, you need a distraction, space to think."

Anna's comment settled it all. The girls left for Elsa's country house that following Friday. Elsa seemed a lot more cheerful by then and that made Anna glad but she wasn't the Elsa she had grown to love. She felt as if she was finally returning what Elsa had done for her. Obviously, she would never be able to remove weak Elsa from her memory. That Elsa had been so distant from the confident Elsa she had known for a month now. She had become so small and fragile, all Anna wanted to do was hug her indefinitely, shield her from anything and anyone but she knew she was in no position to.

They drove in Elsa's car, considering she knew the way and after Anna admitted she had always been bad at directions, even when she had a GPS.

"So, how old are you turning?" Anna asked with a mischievous smile on her face.

"What? How did you know?"

"Facebook, duh."

"Ah, of course."

"You're gonna make me guess, huh?"

"It's not like it's that hard. How old do you think I am?"

"You're probably a year older than me."

"So you're 20?"

"Aha! You're turning 21."

"There, you caught me. Happy?"

"You, my friend, will be the one who's happy after the celebrations."

"Oh don't you dare. I prohibit you from doing so!"

"You'll do no such thing. You can't stop me." Elsa tried to hide her laugh after seeing Anna's daring expression.

"Or can't I?" The blonde girl squinted her eyes.

"Nope. You don't even know what I have planned."

"You're going to be with me 24/7-" Elsa's comment made Anna's heart start racing. "-don't you think I'll find out?"

"Not if I'm very careful."

"How are we going to celebrate if it's only the two of us?"

"Oh, like you've always needed other people to celebrate."

"Honestly, I've never been big on celebrations."

Anna gasped. "You can't be serious?!"

"Serious."

"Well let me be honest, it's going to be nothing big considering. I just wanted you to enjoy your day."

"I'm sure I will. Thanks, Anna."

Hmm, the house seems much bigger than I remember.

The desolate place brought Elsa many memories. She had been the first one to enter the house, leaving Anna behind looking for something she had apparently "lost," but Elsa knew it was just an excuse to plan something. She stood at the entrance, looking around. It wasn't a big place but the arrangement of furniture and light sure made it seem like it. The bare walls and vast windows overseeing the lake made the place seem unimaginable.

She had spent a few summers and winters with her family in that place, but that's not what she thought about as she stood before the place that would gain a different meaning after that weekend with Anna. She thought about her mother, how they would spend time together when her father was too busy with business to pay attention to either of them. It would only be them two since her father would not have consented Ygrette to skip school. Elsa knew that this place was where she and her mother had become close. They had developed a relationship that was unlike her and her father's. She also knew Ygrette was jealous of that relationship but there was nothing Elsa could do about it. Ygrette was the older sibling and as such she was expected to be nothing but perfect. The high expectations and the intensity of her work became the cause of her isolation, that is until her mother passed. Elsa had begged her to come visit the place not long after the funeral but Ygrette refused, certain that everything had been Elsa's fault. If the girls had grown apart, they were even more distant now.

"What are you thinking about?" Anna came from behind and poked her side.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"To get you back on earth." She laughed. Then she looked around. "Wow, Elsa. This is beautiful. I thought the outside was great but... the inside. I'm speechless. Why didn't you tell me it would be so.. wow... I can't believe you own this, hell I would just live here if I were you."

Elsa just shrugged and stared at her with amusement on her face.

"I don't really think you're speechless."

"You're right, speechless Anna doesn't exist."

"Let's go get the bags." They both returned to the car and brought everything in, placing it wherever and then sitting on the black couches.

"Ugh, that was exhausting." She extended herself over the couch.

"Anna, that was two bags..."

"Two bags too many."

"I guess I need to make you start working out."

Anna sat up immediately. "What are you talking about? I'm fine."

"Yeah you sure are fine. You just need a better condition."

"Did you just call me fine?"

"Well, it's the truth, isn't it?"

Anna couldn't believe what Elsa had just said.

She probably doesn't mean it that way, calm down.

"By the way, I hope you're a good cook because I'm starving." Elsa continued after realizing Anna wouldn't respond.

"Oh I see how it is. It's your house so I have to cook?"

Elsa giggled. "That's not it. I would cook, but I'm horrible at it."

Anna finally stood up and walked towards the kitchen. "I can't believe it, there's something perfect Elsa isn't good at? This is unbelievable."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Hah. No I seriously can't believe it."

"Maybe I should cook you something and make you believe it."

"I'm sure anything you'd make would be great, Els."

"Let's not risk it. I mean, I'd be glad to help if you want me to."

"I could use some help. What are you in the mood for, anyway?"

"Surprise me, it is my birthday after all."

"Well then, I can't have you helping me. Go find something else to do."

"And here I thought I was the bossy one."

"I guess it's rubbing off on me." They both shared a laugh.

"Oh, and Anna?" She said as he was making her way up the stairs. Anna raised her head to look up at her. "Please don't burn the house down." The redhead only squinted her eyes and smiled as she shook her head at her.

Elsa entered the library; it had been a while since she visited the place. She had completely forgotten about it.

Finally, a place where I can think and be by myself.

And she was right. As she grew older she rarely had time to herself. She had reinvented herself as a new person after her mother had passed. She aimed for perfection and no matter how close she came to it, she never quite got there. That was the thing about perfection though, it was a never ending ambition and it left her no time to know herself. Of course she knew who she was, but she wasn't who she was supposed to be, or who she wanted to be. She had created herself in a way that her father would approve, not a way where she could live on more than satisfaction. Certainly not in a way that she would have liked. But it was too late now, or so she made herself believe. She remembered the time she had tried to change, when she met Carlos, but that didn't end well.

She walked around the room, running her fingers through the endless number of bookshelves and the plethora of books. She could lose herself in that room; spend days and weeks even on the countless number of pages and words.

"Elsaaaa!" Her trip down memory lane was brought to a halt by Anna's yelling. Elsa didn't know why that put a small on her face.

"Coming!" She said as she walked out and gave a last look at the room. She knew she would be spending a lot of time there soon.

"So, what's for dinner?" She sniffed around the kitchen.

"I hope you like Italian."

"I love Italian."

Anna handed Elsa a plate. "Bon appétit!" She propped her elbows on the bar counter and gave Elsa a goofy smile.

"Umm... Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my food I should be aware of?"

"No, no. I just want to know if you like it."

"Anna, anything you'll make I'll like."

She held her hands on her back and shifted nervously.

Is it me, or is Elsa being nicer than usual? Not nice, but super nice. Oh my god, what if she knows? No she couldn't, she would have said something and I'm pretty sure that's not how she would act.

"Anna?"

"Oh, uh. Yeah?"

"Aren't you having dinner?"

"Oh! Yeah, yeah. Of course." She stuttered.

"You're acting weird. Just like when we were having a meeting at the office." Elsa stopped eating, and stared at Anna as she placed her plate of food on the table. She recalled Anna's behavior at the meeting.

"Umm. No. I mean, what do you mean?"

Shit, shit. She's thinking, she's going to figure it out.

"I mean, you were nervous or embarrassed or something but-" She stopped as something else occurred to her.

Anna noticed her smile.

Oh no, she's got something.

"Hey Anna, do I intimidate you?" Amusement on her face.

"What- What makes you think that?" Anna responded and quickly shoved the pasta in her mouth, trying to avoid Elsa's questioning.

"I mean, do you find me intimidating?"

Anna continued chewing.

I refuse to answer, I refuse.

Oh crap, what have I done? What is she doing?

Anna saw Elsa leave her seat and walk towards her. She tried to act normal but as the blonde leaned in she found it harder to hide her awkwardness. Elsa bent down to head level and leaned in. Anna felt herself go completely stiff.

Do something, say something!

She couldn't, Elsa's smirk prevented her from even thinking a coherent string of words. And her eyes. She had never seen her eyes this close before. They were the prettiest eyes she had seen. If she could get lost in them forever she wouldn't mind. Her heart began to race, she opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out.

"You've got tomato sauce all over your mouth." Elsa giggled as she used the napkin to wipe it off. "There you're all set." She gave Anna a final look and returned to her seat.

No, come back...

"I guess I wasn't the only one who was starving, judging by how fast you had dinner." They had finished dinner; Elsa placed the plates on the sink.

"Maybe I just wanted to get to dessert."

"There's no des-" Elsa claimed but Anna interrupted her before she could finish.

"Of course there is. I made dessert."

"My, my. This really is a surprise."

"Looks like you underestimated me."

"Well I just thought you couldn't help yourself and had chocolate as you cooked but now I realize why I smell chocolate all over the kitchen. Brownies, I take it?"

"Brownies it is."

"Maybe you shouldn't have made that many."

"Oh, Elsa. You underestimate me yet again."

"Well, I'm too full right now but you better not eat mine!"

"I'll try not to, I promise." Anna smiled innocently.

"Shall I show you to your room?"

"And here I thought I was going to sleep on the couch."

"Hmm. Maybe I should make you sleep on the couch..."

"Don't you dare!"

"Come, follow me."

"Yes, boss." She tried to imitate Elsa as best she could, earning a smile from the blonde.

Anna ended up exhausted after the trip and the exploring Elsa had her do around the house. She didn't think she'd get this tired but the house was bigger than she expected. Corridors led to other corridors which led to rooms that led to other rooms, it was almost infinite but she was glad Elsa had lastly shown her the bathroom and her room.

She couldn't wait to hop into the hot shower and then lay in bed. She would finally experience heaven. The idea seemed even more pleasant after realizing that Elsa probably wouldn't wake her up early. They were on a getaway, after all.

She looked for her phone and her charger, only realizing she had been ignoring it all day. The countless number of photos she had taken during the house tour almost drained her battery.

Hmm, might as well share these on Facebook. They'll finally see I have a life!

The sight of the king size bed seemed more tantalizing then her curiosity to check her news-feed, and so she got into bed thinking about the day's events. She wished she had planned something better for Elsa. If she wasn't big for celebrations it must be because she never really had a real celebration, or that was what Anna thought. But it was too late now, she'd have to get her something special when they got back to campus and their normal lives.

Even if she didn't want to, which she did, Anna's night consisted mostly about Elsa thoughts. Mainly a great deal about the question she asked during dinner. She was sure Elsa wasn't intimidating, not in a scary way at least. She had a certain attraction about her. She was a magnet, just like Kristoff had said. She was a magnet and they were opposites. That thought scared Anna the most because that would either make her the happiest person on earth, or that would ruin her.

After so much thinking her body was finally drifting off to sleep. She would have fallen asleep then and there had it not been for someone calling her that late.

"Uh, yeah? Hello?" She answered, not bothering to look up at the caller.

"Hey, Anna." It was Carlos' rusty voice again.

"Carlos? Why are you calling me this late?"

"I need to see you. I know you're with Elsa."

"How? How do you know?"

"Facebook. But that doesn't matter. I just need to see you."

"Carlos, I can't. Why do you need to see me?"

"Because you're spending too much time around Elsa! Anna, don't you see it? She's turning you against me!" Anna could tell he was clearly drunk.

"You don't know what you're saying. Let me be clear, I don't see anything happening between you and I-"

"No, Anna! Listen to me, I can change your mind. Just get away from her!"

"Carlos, you clearly had too much to drink. I'm calling Ygrette, don't call me anymore. I'm turning off my phone."

"Anna, wait-" She didn't hesitate, she hanged up as fast as she could. Calling Ygrette wouldn't be a good idea, so she decided to text her instead before shutting off her phone.

Well, great. Now I can't sleep.

She looked at the clock. Wow, 1 AM already?

Deciding it would be impossible to go to sleep soon, she made up her mind to go downstairs and make some hot chocolate.

The house was much quieter than before. She wondered how long it had been empty for, or if any other Arendelles visited often. Her capacity to think was stopped as she turned the corner towards the stairs. Someone was downstairs; one of the lamps in the living room was on. She made her way down as quietly as she could. Her tense shoulders relaxed as she recognized the blonde hair from the last few steps. Elsa was reading a book.

"I didn't know you were awake." She said quietly, almost a whisper. She didn't want to alarm Elsa.

"And I didn't know you were."

"I came to get some hot chocolate. I couldn't sleep."

"Won't that make it worse though?"

"It'll make me feel better. I don't care about sleep."

"Not even if I wake you up at 6?"

Anna pouted and Elsa continued. "I'm kidding!"

"Good. Do you want some hot chocolate?"

"Why not?"

"So what are you reading?" Anna asked her and she sat down next to her and handed her a mug.

"Do you really want to know?" Elsa closed her book and placed it on the coffee table.

"Honestly, I just want to talk."

"Let's talk then. What's the real reason you're up this late?"

"Carlos called."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. He insisted on seeing me. He was obviously drunk."

"You didn't tell him you were here, did you? I don't want him showing up."

"No, but he knows I'm with you. He even got mad."

"Doesn't surprise me."

"So are you going to tell me about him finally?"

Elsa thought about it. Was she ready to tell her? Initially she only befriended Anna to shield her but now things were different. She felt they had a genuine friendship and she could trust her. She had already seen her at her worst; it wouldn't hurt to tell her the truth.

"Carlos... He's not who you think he is-" She stopped to think of the correct way to explain it to Anna. "-He did things to me that are hard for me to share but I know you now, and I know you understand."

Elsa told her everything. She finally felt free. She could have told her since the beginning, when she hated her and things would have been much different. But it didn't matter because she had told her now and Anna understood. She cared and she was concerned, not because of what he could do to her but what he had done to Elsa. How he had emotionally scarred her to this day. They had been so busy talking they failed to keep track of time, falling asleep and not bothering to go to bed. They leaned against each other, too sleepy to notice. Anna on Elsa's shoulder and the blonde leaned back on the couch. It was a view they wouldn't be aware of until the light coming in through the vast windows would wake them up.

AN: Late update, I know. You guys should blame my calc final for giving me less time to write, haha.

Anyway, we're finally on chapter 10! And the number of followers keeps growing, I can't believe it. Thank you guys so much! You honestly don't know how much this means to me, cheers to you!

The fic will finally begin to pick up. You know the definition of a true Elsanna moment? Well, you'll see them soon and prepare for angst.

Shout out to one of my Guests, he/she left a review about a possible plot twist. I have to admit, it's a good idea making Elsa's boyfriend actually a girlfriend and then have her be Samantha. I feel like that would also be a cruel move but seriously, great idea! I actually considered it for a second, ha.

I think that's all I need to keep you guys updated on, not sure though :s