The black Cadillac rumbled its way up the mountainside. Devoid of emotion, Elsa stared out the window, wishing she'd brought a jacket to survive the frigid weather. Her eyes widened as it pulled up before an immense granite mansion, every bit as cold as its surroundings.
"This isn't rehab again, is it?" she muttered.
"No," Hans sneered beside her, lighting a cigar, "it's the insane asylum, for nutcases like you-"
The door swung open. Stony-faced orderlies marched towards her with grim determination. She backed away, only for Hans to boot her out of the car and into their vice-like grips.
"No! No! I swear I'm not insane!" Elsa shrieked, only for them to restrain her into a straitjacket. The rough fabric scraped against her skin as Hans' laughter competed with her screams in increasing ferocity. Kicking and yelling every step of the way down a dark corridor, her frantic attempts to reason with them fell on deaf ears.
The cell swung open with a creak, and she gasped as they flung her inside like a sack of potatoes.
Elsa's eyes shot open, sunlight burning into her eyes. She clutched at the thin blanket draped over her body, eager to dispel the residual, bitter cold her nightmare had wrought into her body. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she noticed an empty bottle of champagne sitting on the table, and red lipstick adorning the olive glass. Lurching upright in bed, she caught sight of her own maroon gown draped on a chair, and the past evening's memory filtered into her head. She felt around next to her, expecting to caress the curve of Anna's hips but only finding a shadow of the girl's warmth remaining.
Just as she contemplated getting dressed, Anna appeared at the door, carrying a plate of toast and a mug of coffee. Dressed in a nightgown, her red hair had been tied back, green eyes brilliant against the morning sun.
"You're up early," Elsa whispered.
"I'm sorry," Anna answered, setting down the toast, "you were thrashing about and it must've woken me. And then I felt hungry, so-"
"Oh my god," Elsa muttered, pressing a palm to her forehead, "I'm so terribly sorry."
"No, no, no," Anna answered, plonking on the bed and resting a hand on Elsa's knee, "I-I k-know. I know how this feels."
Their eyes connected, each telling a story of the price they'd paid for this life. The sunlight filtering through the curtains illuminated Anna's skin with a radiance unlike anything she'd seen before. It only took a moment for Elsa to recognise that face. It was her own face, years ago - when she'd just started this career so full of hope, still brimming with innocence, and devoid of all the cynicism and dependencies she'd used to cope with her fame. All of a sudden, guilt clenched at Elsa's chest, as though she had cursed Anna to a life like this.
Elsa's lips quivered; her fingers bunched up in the blanket as she contemplated her next words, not daring to touch Anna despite their intimate encounter.
"I feel horrible," Elsa started, looking away from the girl, "w-we shouldn't have, last night. I just got carried away seeing you so happy that-"
"Shh," Anna hushed, placing a finger on Elsa's lips. Impulse took over her yet again, and she leaned forward for a kiss.
"You don't have to say anything," Anna reassured, "every moment I've spent with you has been a gift so far-"
The sight of Anna's eyes brimming with utter sincerity crushed Elsa's soul to no end, and she failed to stop a tear from trickling down her cheek.
"It's not like that!" Elsa seethed through gritted teeth, "I-I care for you. I don't know why. Maybe I see a bit of myself in you, or something - that makes me want this to be more than a silly fling."
Wiping a thumb across Elsa's cheek, Anna sighed, "Well, it's not like I can't see you again, right? Even if we don't end up working together somehow-"
Elsa shook her head, "You don't understand and I hope you never will. There's a price I have to pay for last night. I'll make sure none of this affects you but-"
The touch of Anna's palm soothed the cracking anxiety in Elsa's voice.
"We have this," Anna reassured, pointing at her tiny apartment and with it, the closeness between them, "we have the sweet memory of last night. No one's going to take that away from us."
Needing a distraction, Elsa nibbled on plain toast and sipped some black coffee. The toast tasted like cardboard, and the coffee was weak - but it reminded her of a time when she had nothing but dreams to live off.
Anna mumbled apologetically, "You're probably used to better breakfasts than this, it's not much, but-"
Elsa broke a piece of bread, and Anna nibbled it from her hands. The touch of Anna's lips to her fingertips set her senses alight.
"I'd gladly eat cardboard toast and drainwater coffee everyday, for the rest of my life," Elsa whispered, running a hand through Anna's hair, "only if you're making it for me."
Without another word, Anna took the toast from Elsa, and placed it back onto the plate. Her eyes lit up with desire. Anna crawled towards Elsa, before pushing her onto the bed and offering herself to the actress yet again.