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kristannafever · 24 days

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Second Chances

Kristanna Modern AU Rated: Explicit (See tags) WC: 3163

Summary: It's been eight months since Anna's ex broke up with her in a brutal way. Her concerned sister sets her up on a date, and when she meets Kristoff, it does not go well. Afterward, upon getting an earful from Elsa, Anna realizes her mistake and goes about making things right. What happens between them afterward gives them each a second chance at love and the life they both want to have.

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“Anna, I am breaking up with you.”

Anna nearly choked on the sip of coffee she had just taken. She stared at her boyfriend with wide eyes, not sure what she had just heard. “What?”

“It’s over.”

Panic began to well in the pit of her stomach. Her hands started to shake as she set the coffee mug back down on the table. “What do you mean?”

He heaved a dramatic sigh. “You heard me. We’re done.”

“Where is this coming from,” she pleaded, getting up and walking over to where he was standing in the kitchen. He’d just gotten back from his run. When he left the house, it was as if nothing was any different. And now he was telling her that they were done?

He rolled his eyes. “Oh come on, Anna. We haven’t had sex in weeks. And when we do, you’re so…” he moved his hands around like he was fishing for the word, “…uninspired. I mean, you don’t even give good blow jobs.”

Tears welled up in her eyes. She had thought the problems they were facing were just a bit of a slump. Just the day before she’d gone out and bought some sexy lingerie to surprise him with after the romantic dinner they had planned for that weekend. Was that not happening now?

“Oh, and just so you know,” he said casually as he turned away, “I’ve started seeing other women. So I can get… you know… taken care of. You don’t even know how to kiss properly.”

Anna felt sick to her stomach, watching helplessly after him as he walked towards their bedroom to take a shower. Despite having said some mean things to her from time to time, what he had just said was downright cruel, and she felt ashamed of herself. She felt stupid and pathetic.

Wiping her eyes, she went back to the table and sat down slowly, staring into her morning coffee that she’d actually been enjoying only a moment ago, trying to figure out in her mind what had just happened. The long and short of it? She didn’t please him and he’d been seeing other women.

How had she not known this? She had thought everything was just… normal. He had never been a very enthusiastic lover, and he always met his end while Anna had to often take care of herself, and now she had to wonder if it was because she was just that bad at pleasing a man?

He'd been her first serious boyfriend. Her first real love. The first guy she’d ever moved out with. And now all that was coming crashing down around her. Three years of her life, gone, just like that.

Anna buried her head into her hands and sobbed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“This is a nice place, Anna.”

Anna didn’t respond, she just let her sister in without a word. The apartment had been his, of course she had to move out when he dumped her.

Her sister turned around at Anna’s silence. “You know I hate that man for what he did to you.”

“I know,” Anna said through a sigh. “I hate him too.” She told Elsa that he had cheated on her but she did not tell her sister the awful things that her ex had said to her. And they hadn’t ended in the kitchen that day. She had begged and pleaded with him for hours afterwards and was met with yet more harsh comments on what an awful woman she was.

Anna led them into the living room and poured them each a glass of red wine from the bottle that was sitting on the coffee table. She watched her sister as her eyes went around, taking in the small apartment before settling onto her gaze.

“So, have you been on any dates?”

“Elsa…” Anna sighed with frustration. “Why won’t you drop it?”

“Anna, it’s been what? Eight months? You need to move on.”

Anna was silent and looked down into her wine. She knew she needed to move on, but how could she do that? Apparently, she had nothing to offer a man. What possible hope did she have of making something work.

Elsa set her wine glass down on the table and turned towards her on the couch. “I’m so sorry I haven’t been able to get out here sooner. Work has been incredibly demanding, only now that I see you, I feel like that is a pathetic excuse.”

She frowned. Did she really look that bad? “It’s okay, Elsa. I know how important your job is. And you still call me almost every night.”

“I do, which is probably why you’re tired of telling me you need to get back out there. You have to see that it’s time to live your life again, don’t you?”

Anna did know that. And she wanted to, desperately. But what man would want her? She’d been hit on a few times only to brush the guy off knowing that she would end up disappointing him in the end. If she was honest with herself, she didn’t think she’d be able to stomach going through that again.

“Listen, Anna. I have a friend who’s fairly new to our firm who happens to have moved from here. She has a brother, and she says-”

Anna’s eyes went wide. “No way, Elsa. I am absolutely not about to be set up right now.”

“Please, Anna.” Elsa reached out and grabbed her free hand. “For me? Please? You can’t be afraid to start dating again.”

She pulled her hand away from her sisters and set the wine down on the coffee table as she got up. “No. Absolutely not.”

Elsa followed her as she walked into the kitchen. “Give me one good reason why you won’t?” her sister demanded.

Anna pursed her lips. She would never breathe a word of what her ex had said to her to another living soul, and that was giving her little option for an excuse. “I… don’t want to.”

Her sister put her hands on her hips. “It’s just one date. Who knows, maybe you’ll get lucky. Maybe what you need is a night of hot sex to get back on the horse.”

Her face lit up with heat. “What the fuck, Elsa? I do not need to hear that coming from my sister.” Not only that, she did not need a reminder of how awful she was in bed. It was a constant source of shame that hung over her head.

Elsa gave her a gentle smile. “Sorry. I was just trying to make a point. You have to stop keeping yourself from things that make you happy. You haven’t even gone to the gym or hung out with your friends since you left your ex.”

“He dumped me, but yeah, I know I haven’t.”

“You need to start living again.”

Anna heaved a deep sigh. Perhaps it was time. She’d certainly seen plenty of men who she thought were attractive. Enough that she’d pleasured herself to the thoughts of being with a man again. That at least she knew she wasn’t bad at. In fact, she was practically an expert at getting herself off now.

“Can I tell my friend yes?”

Anna looked to her sister’s pleading eyes. “Fine. One date.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The bar was packed, making it hard for Anna to pick out the man that she was supposed to meet. She’d been given a general description. Tall guy, big build, blond… Anna had formed many mental pictures in her mind of what he might actually look like.

She was told that he’d be somewhere in the bar waiting for her, and every blond Anna looked at seemed to already be on a date or clearly out with a group of friends. The guy Anna was looking for was supposed to be alone.

She muscled her way to the bar where groups of people were gathered around the stools and talking, waiting on drinks. Then she spotted a blond man sitting at the end, surrounded by women. The guy was absolutely huge; his t-shirt stretched tight over his biceps and chest. And he was gorgeous. His rugged handsomeness was undeniable. That was why there were women all over him.

Thinking that couldn’t be her date, Anna went to turn away, when his eyes caught hers and widened with something like recognition.

“Hey, are you Anna?” he called to her over the music and loud conversations

She nodded, not wanting to shout back to him, and he got up from his stool and approached her. Every single woman he was surrounded by watched all of his movements with lusty interest.

His imposing height loomed over her. “I’m Kristoff,” he said, sticking out his hand.

“Nice to meet you,” Anna responded, shaking it and thinking it wasn’t nice at all. Not after he’d been hanging out with all those stunning women while waiting for her to show up for their date. What the hell? Who does that?

“They’re super busy and wouldn’t let me grab a table until you showed up,” he said.

He already sounded bored. What the hell had Anna gotten herself into. “Okay.”

Kristoff shrugged and took off to find a table. Anna followed, kind of hoping they wouldn’t find one. The guy was clearly someone who could get whoever he wanted and probably often did.

Towards the back of the bar near the bathrooms, he spied an open table and made a b-line to it. Anna sat on the stool across from him and put her purse on the edge of the high table.

He smiled. “It’s quieter over here too.”

There was nothing but cool confidence behind that smile and Anna squirmed again thinking of how many gorgeous women had been salivating over him moments before. “You sure didn’t waste your time talking to the other ladies, I see.”

He frowned. “They were talking to me. I wasn’t talking to them.”

Anna rolled her eyes. “Sure. A guy like you must just hate it when women hang all over him.”

His unhappy face turned into a scowl. “What are you saying?”

“Look, I agreed to go on this date, but not with a player, okay?”

Kristoff became emotionless. “Have me pegged, do you?” he asked evenly.

Anna could only shrug. “It’s not that hard to figure out. The reason a guy who looks like you is single, is that he wants to stay single.”

He stared at her, expression impossible to read.

“Lets just save us both time. I refuse to be a conquest, so you can just go back to all those ladies at the bar who can barely keep it in their pants.” Anna got up, keeping her eyes off his unreadable face, feeling relieved. She didn’t even want to go on this date in the first place. She was almost glad that this guy, as hot as he was, wasn’t going to work out.

Anna spared him a glance as she turned away and was a little shocked to see profound sadness in his eyes. It was almost enough for her to turn back around and say something.

Almost.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Anna looked at her ringing phone. It was Elsa. She let out a long sigh and answered. “Hello?”

“What the fuck, Anna? Why the hell did you brush off that date last night?”

She groaned inwardly. This was not a conversation she wanted to have. “He wasn’t my type.”

“Bullshit! My friend talked to her brother and he told her what you said to him. That was pretty awful, Anna.”

She frowned. Had it been? She was only speaking the truth. “Well… you didn’t tell me the guy was a total player.”

Elsa huffed with frustration. “He’s not! He hasn’t been on a date in a year!”

“Elsa, he had women, and I mean gorgeous women, all over him when I arrived at the bar.”

“And he was what? Flirting with them?”

Anna thought back to the scene at the bar. One of the women had her hand on his arm and was talking his ear off, another one giving him fuck me eyes from his other side, two behind him waiting for their turn, and he was… sitting there. He was staring at something. Or was it nothing. Then he’d looked over and his eyes had widened… they kind of looked a little… well at the time it looked like recognition but thinking back, they seemed a little more… relieved?

Anna gasped. “Oh no, what have I done?”

Her sister sighed. “Anna, you might need to talk to someone. I don’t know what Hans did to you, but it was something. I have doubts that he was never abusive to you even though you assured me that he never was.”

“He said some mean things, Elsa. That’s all.” Anna would give her that much, no more. Not ever. No one would ever know of her humiliation.

There was silence on the other end of the line for a beat. “So maybe you said some things you didn’t mean to a nice guy because you are still so scared of putting yourself out there?”

Anna’s stomach rolled with unease to think about the hurtful way she’d brushed Kristoff off. “Yeah. I guess I am.”

“Well, at least you can recognise that.”

“Elsa, I feel terrible. Is there any way I can get his number? To apologise?”

“Well…I can ask my friend, although I have to warn you, she was pretty pissed that you treated her brother that way.”

“Please try, Elsa. I feel awful and I need to tell him that I am sorry.”

“Alright. I’ll call you back in five, okay?”

“Okay.” Anna hung up the phone and rung it in her hands. She could not believe she’d been so mean to someone and tears sprung in her eyes. It made her feel terrible to think she’d said something hurtful to someone. It reminded her of what her ex had said to her, and that Kristoff guy did not deserve that, even if he was a player.

Her phone rang in her hands and startled her to the point she almost threw it across the room. “Hello?”

“Okay, I got the number.”

“Oh, thank you, Elsa. Thank you so much.” She sniffed. “And tell your friend-”

“Anna, are you crying?”

She nodded and started to sob. “I feel so bad, Elsa. I was so mean to that poor man. Please tell your friend to tell her brother that I am so sorry and that he can expect me to contact him to say so that I can apologize and-”

“Anna… Anna!”

She sniffed and reigned in her emotions. This was insane. She needed to get a grip on herself. For all those months she carried all that hurt when her ex broke up with her and it was all starting to come out after treating someone else poorly. It was becoming a little clearer to her that there were some issues she was going to have to deal with, and soon.

“Anna?”

Sniff. “Yeah?”

“You need to stop beating yourself up about this, okay?”

“What if he doesn’t accept my apology?” Anna asked, wiping her damp cheeks.

“Well, then I guess you just have to live with it.”

She shoulders slumped, suddenly exhausted. “Yeah. I guess I made the bed I have to lie in it.”

Her sister was silent on the other end for a moment. “Whatever happens, Anna… it’ll be okay. Everything will be okay. You’ll have plenty of other chances.”

Anna nodded to herself, steeling her emotions for the text she was about to send. “I know. Thank you, Elsa.”

*****

Kristoff looked at the text from the number that he did not know, and set the phone down in contemplation.

He knew it was coming. His sister had called him and given him the heads up she’d passed his number along to the woman who was so rude to him last night. To say he was conflicted was an understatement.

He hadn’t been hurt like that in a while. Which was weird because he didn’t know this woman. It was just that she passed him off so easily that it made him second guess himself a bit. In retrospect, he should have been ruder to the women vying for his attention at the bar. Why couldn’t this Anna understand that he had absolutely zero interest in them. Instead, she’d taken one look at him and decided he was one of those pigs that used women as conquests. And that fucking hurt.

That was why he’d agreed to be set up. Trying to meet someone on line or even in a club brought out all the wrong kinds of women for him. He had yet to meet someone that was looking for something serious, not just some fun fling or one night stand.

He sighed, and read the message again.

Hi Kristoff, this is Anna, the woman who was rude to you last night and who you wish you probably never met. I need to say that I am sorry for how I acted and what I said to you. Clearly! I have issues to deal with. I would hope you have it in your heart to meet me quickly so that I may apologize in person. If you wish to never talk to me again though, I completely understand. If I don’t hear back from you in a couple of days, I will assume I have my answer and delete your number. I am sorry.

It read like an email, and quite frankly a little bit of a cry for help. He certainly had his own issues, and he could not deny that her acknowledging her own had softened his attitude towards how she had treated him. It wasn’t like he was exactly innocent of never behaving poorly when he was dealing with things. When his sister had let him know to expect her to contact him, he just shrugged and assumed he’d delete the message and move on. Only having read it and its sincerity…

He started typing.

Hi Anna. Thank you for reaching out. Please don’t be too hard on yourself. If you would like to talk, we could meet for a coffee?

He read it three times and hit send before he changed his mind. He’d just set his phone down when it dinged.

He chuckled. “That was fast.”

Thank you so much Kristoff! Would tomorrow work? I could meet you at 11 at that coffee shop that’s just on the corner of 10th and Elm?

He typed back;

Sure. See you then

Anna immediately hearted his message and he set his phone down. He’d been watching the game on TV and he turned his attention back to it, only in the back of his mind he had other thoughts about how seeing this woman again was going to go.

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Next Chapter

#cee wrote this mess #second chances #kristoff #anna #kristanna #kristanna modern au #listen this is p with a little bit of p #if you know what I mean #it is incredibly and unapologetically self-indulgent #and I'm not even sure what it is I just wanted to write something DIRTY #so it starts out angsty and then gets all fluffy and smutty #I've completed 8 chapters with the plan to leave it open ended so that I can update the smut when the mood strikes

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lelitachay · 1 month

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Frozen fanfiction: Søsken

Summary: An accident in the North Mountain forces Elsa to spend several weeks in her brother’s apartment under Anna’s care. During that time, Anna realises there is more to Elsa than meets the eye. The truth about Elsa’s past comes to light after an unexpected family reunion, and both girls’ lives begin to fall apart when they realise Elsa wasn’t the only one with a big secret and a turbulent past.

Anna/Kristoff - Elsa - Family - Family drama - hurt/comfort - Modern AU - Elsa & Kristoff are adoptive brother and sister - Ice bros - Found family - Serious injuries - Mental health issues - Health issues - Frohana

Links:

Fanfiction.net - HERE AO3 - HERE

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Chapters 1 to 10 - Here Chapters 11 to 20 - Here Chapters 21 to 30 - Here Chapters 31 to 40 - Here Chapter 41 - Here Chapter 42 - Here Chapter 43 -Here Chapter 44- Here Chapter 45 - Here Chapter 46 - Here Chapter 47 - Here Chapter 48 - Here Chapter 49 - Here -

Armistice

“It needs to be someone we can trust.”

“We already know that; I don’t see why you keep insisting on discussing this when the three of us could easily do it.”

Sitting on the far corner of the old café, Anna took a sip of her coffee as she watched Kai and Nielsen argue, debating for the umpteenth time things that had already been discussed.

The only thing keeping Anna inside the café was knowing Gerda would show up at any moment. They’d all be together to decide what was best to do about Elsa’s care, which was the last item on their list.

What was left to decide was important, even more so than what to do about Haugen, in her opinion. But the longer they stayed away from Elsa, the more impatient she became. After having heard Kai, Nielsen and her father argue about the legal aspects of going against Haugen for almost an hour, there was nothing she wanted more than to go back to the hospital and see her sister. She was tired of the what-ifs and hypothetical scenarios. All they did was increase everyone's paranoia instead of offering real solutions.

She took another sip and placed the cup on the table, keeping a firm hold on it with both hands. The warm ceramic cup offered a soothing feeling and helped her keep her mind far away from everything for a few seconds. It reminded her of the evenings spent in Elsa's cottage, playing cards and enjoying hot chocolate. If she closed her eyes and tried hard enough, she could almost pretend the last week was nothing but a sick nightmare.

Though the comforting feeling didn't last more than a minute, breaking the spell and forcing her back to the sad reality. Despite what she had tried to show on the outside, her argument with Marshall had truly affected her. The mountaineer was starting to lose hope and it made her wonder if anything they were doing was even worth doing. What was the point of quarrelling for over an hour about the upcoming weeks when Elsa was still hopelessly unconscious? Were they doing the right thing or were they simply wasting their last chances to say goodbye?

The thought alone was enough to fill her eyes with tears.

She closed them tight and tried to get rid of the awful feeling before Kristoff noticed. She didn’t want to tell him Marshall was losing faith. She didn't want to give him another reason to stay awake, turning in bed at night.

With just a quick glance, she could see the dark circles under his eyes and the now ever-present frown drawn on his face. Their sister's serious condition was taking a toll on him, and Anna worried he wouldn't be strong enough to deal with whatever happened in the upcoming days.

“I told you —both of you— I just want to stay by her side. I don’t want nor need to discuss any of this.”

Gerda's voice pulled Anna back to the present and she was surprised to see her standing in between Kai and Nielsen’s chairs. Too absorbed in her own thoughts, she hadn't heard the woman enter the bar nor greet them.

“Gerda, this is—” Kai tried to explain, but she stopped him.

“I can't deal with the pressure of looking after Elsa and making these choices, Kai. I just can't.” With her arms crossed over her chest she left no place for arguments.

“Mum,” Kristoff called, his voice low and tired. “I asked them to call you, okay?”

A sad smile painted Gerda's face as she locked eyes with her son, who was sitting on the opposite side of the table next to Anna.

“Dear… I didn't see you there.” She then looked around, nodding to Anna and Agdar as she realised they were there as well. “How are you?” She got closer to where Kristoff and Anna were, so as not to raise her voice and disturb the rest of the people in the café. “Have you eaten anything?”

The unconditional love she gave her adoptive children was something that never failed to amaze Anna. Even now, when she had more than a justified reason to focus on other things, the first instinct was to make sure her son was okay before anything else. Anna knew Gerda was merely pretending to be strong at that point, but somehow she was still able to seem stronger in her son's presence.

“Have you?” Kristoff asked.

She averted her eyes. “Something… this morning.”

He quickly glanced at his watch, “It's almost five.”

“Don't worry.” Gerda moved her hand in the air, downplaying his concern.

“We do worry,” Nielsen interrupted. He placed his empty cup of tea back on the table and intertwined his fingers, resting his chin on top of his hands. “That’s something we need to discuss.”

“Jonnas, for the last time,” Gerda said before he began scolding her like a child. “As long as Elsa's in there I'm not leaving. Someone needs to stay by her side at all times.”

“Is there someone with her right now?”

It was the first thing her father had said in the last twenty minutes, and Anna couldn’t help but see him as a stranger. Always outspoken, her father was used to having the last word, not to be a mere witness in a meeting. Now that the conversation revolved around Elsa’s care, Anna found her father’s silence unsettlingly necessary.

Gerda nodded in response, but didn't say anything to him. Instead, she turned her attention back to Nielsen and their conversation. “We can't leave Elsa alone.”

“And we won't,” Nielsen agreed. “That’s the reason I needed you in this meeting.”

Gerda opened her mouth to speak again but he raised his hand stopping her.

“So far I found no reason to suspect Elsa's treatment has been impaired in any way.” He was addressing the whole table, making sure everyone was aware of the situation. “The medical team is doing a remarkable job and I don't have any reason to suspect they have been running unnecessary tests.”

“That's a relief,” Agdar murmured.

“I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary either,” Gerda said, agreeing with Nielsen.

“However, this doesn't mean the nurses won't receive odd requests from Haugen in the upcoming days.” Nielsen warned them. “Elsa's recovery is just beginning and we might need to keep an eye on her and the medical team for several weeks.”

Anna raised her head. “Weeks?”

“Even if Elsa were to wake up tomorrow,” Nielsen explained. “She'd still have a long way to go before she could go home. And I'm not bringing her powers into the mix here. Sepsis is a serious matter, its recovery a long process.”

“Do you think her powers will compromise her recovery in any way?”

“To be honest…” He let his finger skim the page of an old journal Anna had seen him carry during the last few days. He turned the page and scanned the content in the new page as well. “I have no idea what will happen. Past experience suggests they will go out of control at some point. My main concern is the medical team losing focus or starting to doubt our word. If this happens, they’ll turn to Landvik or Haugen for answers.” He took off his glasses, and neatly put them away. “I need competent people looking after Elsa. Gerda is the ideal person, but she can’t keep doing it on her own. That means I need someone who can keep an eye on the nurses and help Elsa control her powers in case they go out of control when she wakes up.”

“We'll take turns,” Kristoff said, not understanding the problem. “The three of us.” He pointed to his father, Anna and himself. “It’ll give mum extra time to rest.”

“I appreciate the offer, Kristoff,” Nielsen said sympathetically. “I have no doubt you’d do the absolute best; but sadly, your presence would be useless.”

“Useless?”

“Even if you stay by her side at all times, you wouldn't know what the medical team is doing.” Gerda explained, hoping her son didn’t take the doctor’s words to heart.

“Not to mention the ICU is a delicate matter. You’d need to know what’s best to do in dire situations. The patient's condition can change in a matter of seconds and it could be counterproductive to have you around.”

“More counterproductive than mum being tired to the bone?”

Kristoff was getting mad, Anna didn’t need him to raise his voice to notice, but she could understand Nielsen’s predicament. Even if she did her very best, she wouldn’t know what to do as soon as the machines around her sister started beeping erratically.

“Kristoff, I understand you want to help, but in this situation I am still the best option. I can look after your sister. Don’t worry.” Gerda tried to reason with her son as well as convince Nielsen she could still do the job.

“No, you can’t.” Nielsen countered. “You can't keep going on like this. You're exhausted. And if you don't start taking breaks and looking after yourself, I'll restrict the time you can stay by her side.”

Turning her head as fast as lightning, Gerda looked daggers at the doctor. “You wouldn't dare.”

Ignoring Gerda’s murderous look, Nielsen raised his cup of tea and took a slow sip before he spoke again. “Don't push me, Gerda.”

“What do you suggest then, Nielsen?” Kai asked, sounding a lot more tired than he had all day. “I agree Gerda needs rest, but where will we find a trustworthy person who can keep an eye on the medical stuff?

Nielsen stayed quiet for a minute, thinking about their options. “Isn't one of your brothers a force medical examiner? Ask the department to request his presence in town.”

“No,” Kai said firmly, not thinking twice about his answer.

“Uncle Nikolai is a great idea,” Kristoff said.

“I can't request my brother’s presence on the other side of the country without a good reason,” Kai answered seriously. “Not to mention I’m not on duty at the moment.”

Knitting his brows, Kristoff took a hard look at his father, trying to understand his reasoning. “Then call him. Tell him to take some time off.”

“I can’t ask him to fly all the way here all of a sudden.”

“Why the hell not?”

“What do I tell him, exactly?”

“Perhaps tell him his niece is dying, I'm sure he'll get the message,” Nielsen said, mindlessly, interrupting the argument between father and son. The normally composed doctor now seemed to be running out of patience. It was only when he noticed the dejected looks and tense silence on the table that he realised his mistake. “I'm sorry. I didn’t mean—” He cleared his throat. “I’m having a hard time following Kai’s reasoning, that’s all.”

Gerda was the first to find her voice and decided to explain the situation better. “Even though Kai's brothers, as well as my sister, know we adopted Elsa, they haven't met her.”

Everyone except the Bjorgman family blinked incredulously at Gerda. Anna knew about Kristoff’s aunt and uncles. He had mentioned sharing meals and travelling to visit them when he was a teen. It made no sense for Kristoff to meet the rest of the family and not Elsa.

“Elsa's been part of your family for over ten years,” Nielsen stated, as confused as Anna.

“They tried to talk us out of adopting her,” Gerda said. She didn't want to look at Kristoff while she explained the reason why his sister had never travelled with him to visit them. Her son held his aunt and uncles in great esteem and she had tried to keep the truth from him for as long as possible. “We told them bits of Elsa's past. Her unusual upbringing and about the police investigation… They insisted it was a bad idea. We never even get to mention her powers; they were all determined to convince us adopting Elsa was a mistake.”

“What?” Kristoff said, his fists tightening under the table.

“They kept insisting she was bad news,” Kai said, helping Gerda. “We thought it was best to keep Elsa away from a judging family.”

Kristoff frowned, fixing his eyes on the wooden table. His silence didn't betray how much the news affected him, his fists, however, told another story. Wishing to offer him some comfort, Anna put her hand in his in an attempt to stop it from shaking.

“Great. Just great,” Nielsen exclaimed, before Kristoff could gather his thoughts. “You have someone in the family who can actually do something for her and—”

Knowing getting into arguments with one another wouldn't lead them anywhere, Anna interrupted the doctor. “Dr Nielsen, could someone outside the family look after her?”

He took a deep breath, calming himself down before he returned to a more professional role. “As long as it's someone I can trust, it’s possible. I'll need to come up with a good reason to allow the person in, the ICU is a tightly controlled area.”

“Elsa's closest friend is a paramedic,” she said, hoping a paramedic was good enough. “Is it possible to let him in?”

Kai and Gerda looked up, knowing exactly who she was referring to. Their facial expressions, showing entirely different reactions from one another.

“Marshall,” Gerda exclaimed. “Marshall Hålkesen. I completely forgot about him.” She turned to Nielsen, a small smile drawn on her face.

“Hålkesen…” Nielsen murmured, pondering. “Yes. That's the kind of person we need.”

Before Anna got the chance to say she knew where to find him. Kai interrupted their short-lived excitement. “No. We'll take turns and look after Elsa ourselves. It's best if this stays in the family.”

Doctor and nurse frowned at Kai, not at all pleased to keep stretching the meeting. Gerda, wishing to go back to her daughter’s side as soon as possible, tried to reason with her husband. “They won't let you. They won't let any of you stay longer than an hour or two. We need someone who has had medical training.”

“He helped us the night Elsa's sepsis showed its first symptoms,” Nielsen said, convinced Marshall was their best choice. “He not only knows what to do, he also knows how to deal with Elsa's powers. When her fever broke and her powers went out of control, the man didn’t even flinch.”

“I don't think we should get him involved.”

“Kai, the kid's a paramedic,” Gerda said, exasperated.

“He used to be a paramedic.” Kai tapped the table with his finger emphasising the past tense. “Nielsen,” he then said, hoping the doctor would be the first to agree with him. “You fired him. You can't honestly think it's a good idea for him to look after Elsa.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Nielsen drew in a deep breath. “Kai, I told you the other night, I only fired him because I had to. He made a mistake.”

“He beat up a guy until he was unconscious. That's hardly a mistake.”

Anna couldn’t stop herself from flinching. The conversation had steered in a way she wasn’t expecting, and it made her wonder if she had done the right thing suggesting Marshall’s name.

“He was ordered to do community service and anger management therapy. He served his time and attended therapy.” Nielsen explained. “What else do you want the man to do?”

“If he had done as he was told, the hospital would’ve reincorporated him. I know the drill.”

“I called Hålkesen myself when we got his therapist’s report stating he was clear to go back to work. He’s the one who denied the offer. He was moving back to the mountain and didn't want to work as a paramedic anymore.”

Anna could see Nielsen was not at all comfortable divulging Marshall’s private affairs, and it helped her feel better. It was obvious he knew exactly what had happened and still thought Marshall was a good option.

“I don't want him near my daughter.”

“Well, I do.” Gerda said, crossing her arms.

“Gerda, please,” Kai begged. “See reason.”

Gerda stayed quiet, not giving in. The couple’s disagreement was getting on Nielsen’s nerves and so he took the initiative, turning to the rest of the people on the table. “The rest of you, what do you think?”

Anna looked around, hoping to hear Kristoff’s opinion on the matter. He was the only one there who had seen Marshall’s reaction a few hours before and his opinion was the one that truly mattered to Anna. The last thing she wanted was to make a grave mistake. She waited for him to speak, but he still kept his eyes fixed on the wooden table. She turned to her father, and even though he seemed to have an opinion he was keeping to himself.

Knowing the two of them wouldn’t break the silence, Anna finally said, “I suggested his name so…”

“Son?” Kai called Kristoff’s name, hopeful he’d agree with him.

Kristoff raised his head, looking back at his father for a brief moment. He then looked down again, playing with a paper napkin, taking his time before he answered, “Elsa rarely talks about the things she’s gone through. She seldom speaks about her fears. But even though she tries to hide it, I know she’s terrified of ending up alone. Being left behind…” Taking a deep breath, he found his father’s eyes once more. “Look around, Kai. We are all the people she has. If she were to lose us, there's no-one left. Not even your family was willing to give her a chance.”

“What does it have to do with anything?”

Anna had a deep respect and admiration for her father-in-law; at times, however, she considered his overly formal demeanour exasperating. Kristoff, on the other hand, was used to it. He didn’t lose his patience nor yelled at his father to understand what he was trying to say. He simply sighed once again and explained, “We have no right to forbid Marshall from seeing her. Especially now that he can help us.”

“Kristoff—”

“He knows about her powers,” he began to explain, counting with his fingers every reason they had to choose the mountaineer. “He's willing to help. Mum and Nielsen trust him. Anna and I know he won’t leave her alone… What else do you want?”

Kai opened his mouth to counter his son’s reasoning. Anna swore she could see the gears turning in head, wishing to find a logical reason to keep Marshall away from Elsa, but after a few seconds he pursed his lips and stayed silent.

“So, it's settled. Marshall will look after her during the night, giving Gerda enough time to rest.” Nielsen said after Kai went silent.

“There’s just one thing,” Kristoff said, calling the doctor’s attention. “I wouldn't tell him about Haugen’s threat.”

“He needs to keep a close eye on Elsa's health.”

“I know,” Kristoff nodded. “But I also know he’d go after Haugen if he finds out.”

“So you agree with me,” Kai interrupted. “He's unhinged.”

That last comment seemed to set Kristoff off and another argument erupted between the Bjorgman family. Gerda and Kristoff both stated their point of views against Kai while Nielsen scrubbed his face with his hands. At some point, Agdar leaned closer to Anna, asking if Marshall was the hooligan who had stopped by their house a couple of months before. Something about her father’s question, as well as the argument, was Anna’s last straw. Before she could stop herself, she raised her voice, stopping the argument and surprising her father.

“We can’t go on like this,” she said in a lower tone when everyone was paying attention to her. “If I had known I would only drag this meeting longer than necessary instead of offering a solution, I would have never said Marshall’s name. It’s just— I’ve seen how much he cares. He’s been coming here every day. All he’s been asking for is to see her. He wants to help and get the chance to say goodbye in case she doesn’t make it… For some reason I don’t understand we won’t let him in, and we won’t use the limited time we have to stay by Elsa’s side. Instead, we’re here, arguing and fighting.” She stopped to dry a couple of tears and gather herself. “I’ll go back to the hospital. I know where to find Marshall in case you make up your mind.”

Standing up abruptly, Anna didn’t wait for an answer, she simply left the café. Walking fast to the hospital, she wished visiting hours weren’t over. At least get to see Elsa for a few minutes. Tell her she was loved and let her know they were all there for her. Perhaps she could tell her why Marshall hadn’t visited. No matter how afraid she was, no matter what the rest of the people said, she wouldn’t give up on her sister, but she wouldn’t miss the few chances she had to see her and talk to her.

She didn’t get to do those things, however. She was waiting for Andrea to allow her into the wards when Kristoff called her name. He had run after her as soon as Kai was outvoted, leaving the rest of the family to deal with the aftermath and pay the check. He explained they needed to find Marshall. Nielsen would have all the paperwork ready by the time he showed up. The doctor wished to meet Marshall a few minutes before eight, when the nurses changed shifts, and this time Gerda, would change shifts.

Getting out of the car, Anna looked up at the tall brick building in front of her and breathed out nervously. She didn’t regret telling Kristoff to stay at the hospital, she wanted one of them to spend some time with Elsa after all, but she couldn’t deny how anxious she was about talking to Marshall so soon after their heated argument. She was certain he wouldn’t mind her visit, given the news she was about to give him. She could only hope he’d give her the chance to speak, though, before he slammed the door on her face.

She stood by the main door and examined the rows of buzzers, wondering if Marshall had ever mentioned which apartment his mother lived in. Nothing came to mind, so she took a guess and pressed one of the buttons at random. As soon as she did, she realised she had no idea what Marshall’s mother was called and she felt stupid for not thinking about her approach more carefully. She had limited time to find Marshall and convince him to help them — though she was certain the latter wouldn’t be an issue —, but still she wondered if there wasn’t a faster way than buzzing apartments at random until she found the woman she was looking for.

Before a better idea came to mind, an old man spoke through the buzzer. Trying her luck, she briefly explained she needed help finding Marshall Hålkesen and that his mother lived in the building. The first two men said they couldn’t help her. On the third try, however, a young woman recognised the surname and informed her there was a woman named Hålkesen living on the seventh floor. With a smile, Anna thanked the woman and soon after buzzed apartment 7A, B and C.

Once again, the third was the charm and the woman in apartment 7C told Anna she was Marshall’s mother. Surprised her flimsy plan had worked, Anna took a moment to come up with something coherent to say. “Hello, hi,” she said, again, buying herself some time to think her words carefully. “I'm sorry to bother you. My name’s Anna. I know you don't know me but I— I’m looking for Marshall. I was wondering, has he gone back to the North mountain? Or is he still in town? I need to contact him. Urgently. It’s about his friend. Elsa.”

“Oh, Lord. Umm…”

Anna could hear the hesitation in the woman’s voice, making it clear she knew exactly who Elsa was.

“I’m buzzing you in.”

Anna was surprised at the woman’s trusting attitude. She was more than aware her voice didn’t sound threatening over the speaker; but still, it seemed strange for the woman to allow her into the building so easily. Anna thanked her when the door opened and she double-checked the apartment number before going in.

She didn’t think much of the lack of a lift in the building at first. The building was old and clearly built before lifts became mandatory in taller buildings. After getting to the fifth floor, however, she began to feel sorry for the woman she had just spoken to. Living on a seventh floor and having to climb a mouldy staircase every single time she got home was something Anna hoped she didn’t need to do at an older age. She could understand why Marshall’s mother would have chosen the city instead of the wilderness to live, though there wasn’t much of a difference between the mountain and climbing that particular set of stairs.

Anna could have sworn the air got thinner as she made it to the woman’s apartment, and she made a mental note to start training alongside Elsa and Marshall once her sister made a recovery. ‘If she makes a recovery,’ her mind was quick to correct and she felt a shiver run down her spine.

Shaking off the awful feeling, she knocked on the door and hoped the woman would be kind enough to offer Marshall’s phone number. Nielsen had made it clear he needed him at the hospital by eight, and it was already five past seven. She wouldn’t have the time to drive all the way to the mountain, find his cottage, and much less travel all the way back in less than an hour. The door opened after a short moment, and Anna was nonplussed at the tall and thin brunette who was standing on the other side. The kind, grey eyes looking back at her were exactly like Marshall’s, making Anna wonder if perhaps he had a much older sister.

Taking a step back, Anna checked the plate on the wall, making sure the apartment was in fact correct and this made the woman smile. “You must be the girl looking for Marshall. I’m Lena, his mother.”

Anna blinked a few times, wondering if she had heard correctly. As far as she knew, the mountaineer was at least four years older than Elsa, the reason why Anna was expecting someone older. Not someone who seemed to be around her mother’s age — if not younger. Anna blushed when she realised she had stayed quiet and, feeling silly for staring in an awkwardly obvious way, she apologised. “Yes, sorry. I was expecting someone old— I mean… I’m Anna.” She extended her hand, hoping the woman wouldn’t take offence and wished the day would come when she learnt to keep her big stupid mouth shut.

A sweet smile drew on Lena’s face as she shook Anna’s hand. “Would you like to come in?”

Anna smiled back, thankful for Lena’s hospitality. She nodded and was about to step into the apartment, when a hand grabbed the door forcefully, moving Lena out of the way and stopping Anna in her tracks.

Marshall stood in front of Anna, looking taller than he had before. “What are you doing here?” Marshall said in an almost intimidating voice.

“Marshall!” Lena berated him, but Marshall ignored her.

“What do you want?” he asked.

“Please. Be decent, Marshall.”

Anna glanced at Lena for a short moment, and then at Marshall who was towering over her. She had already forgotten how unnerving he could be when he wanted to. Taking a deep breath, Anna decided to ignore his hostile attitude, knowing well why he was acting like that. She was certain he’d drop the facade once he knew what she was about to tell him.

Not wanting him to think he could intimidate her, Anna crossed her arms over her chest and spoke in a low voice, using a serious tone to mask her nervousness. “I need to talk. It’s important.”

Marshall misunderstood her seriousness for sadness and his face crumbled. His frown was suddenly replaced by desperate eyes. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat before he spoke. “Is Elsa—?”

Realisation dawned on Anna, and she stopped him before he could say another word. “Oh, God, no! She’s okay. She’s fine. Sorry, I didn’t mean to— I’m sorry.”

Scrubbing his good hand over his face, he took a deep breath before he spoke again. “Don’t ever do that again, Anna, please.”

The corner of Anna’s mouth turned up slightly, as she saw his mask beginning to break. Perhaps he was still mad at her and her family, but deep down Anna could see the kindhearted man Elsa insisted he was. “Do you have a minute? I really need to speak to you.”

He let go of his face, looked her in the eyes and nodded.

Anna waited for him to move before she did or said anything. The two of them stayed where they were for a minute before Marshall raised an eyebrow as if he was expecting her to do something as well. “So?”

“I thought you were going to invite me in.”

Marshall blinked a couple of times and looked over his shoulder for a brief moment, trying to understand what she meant. “Why? We can speak here.”

“Marshall, let the girl inside, for goodness’ sake.” Lena’s voice could be heard from inside, making Anna smile again. The woman hadn't left her son's side, silently making sure he didn’t do or said something out of place. Anna could tell she was used to her son's brusqueness.

Marshall met his mother's eyes for a short moment. Soon after, he sighed and moved out of the way. “Come in.”

Anna rejoiced, glad he was willing to change his mind and talk to her. Sure, his mother was breathing down his neck, but the fact he was allowing her into the flat meant there were no hard feelings, or so she hoped.

As soon as Marshall closed the door, Lena smacked him on the back of his head, reprimanding him. The soft slap and Marshall’s flush raising to his cheeks didn’t fail to make Anna chuckle. Lena turned to her then, promptly apologising for her son's behaviour. Anna dismissed it, taking half the blame and explaining they had had a small quarrel earlier that day.

“It doesn't matter,” Lena said, crossing her arms. “He should know better.”

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

“Marsh’s friends are welcome anytime. Despite what he makes them think.” The woman turned around to look at her son, calling his attention. “Well, won’t you introduce us?”

Marshall sighed, clearly annoyed at the situation. Small talk had never been his strong suit and both women knew it. He scratched his neck and avoiding his mother’s gaze he said, “Anna is Elsa’s sister.”

“Oh…” Lena’s soft smile turned upside down. “I’m so sorry about your sister,” she said to Anna. “I haven’t really met Elsa, but Marsh has spoken so much about her that I—

“You said you needed to talk,” Marshall said suddenly, interrupting his mother.

Anna smiled knowing whatever Lena was about to say would probably embarrass him to no end. It was best to take pity on him and help him out of the awkward conversation. “Yes, I do.”

“I’ll leave you to it,” Lena said, understanding why he was so desperate to change the topic.

Waiting until his mother was out of the room to start talking, Anna took a moment to look around. They were in a small living room, not bigger than Kristoff’s. There was a battered couch on the left side of the room. Bed sheets were wrinkled on top and an old pillow laid on the floor next to it. Anna felt a pang of pain and guilt at the scene, it was clear Marshall hadn't gone back to the mountain as he claimed. Instead, he had been staying on a small couch for over a week, waiting for something to happen… Trying not to think too much about what it was, Anna turned to him and in an attempt to raise the mood she joked, “Your mother seems nice. She must be proud of her charming son.”

The remark would’ve made Marshall smile at another time, but he ignored it. Too tired and annoyed to deal with anything. “What do you want?”

Anna sighed. She had to admit she was nervous about meeting Marshall at first, but now she was more concerned about his answer. She had been certain he would agree when she said his name at the meeting. Though now that she was standing right in front of him, seeing how utterly burnt out he was, she wondered what they’d do if he said no. One thing was to visit Elsa for a couple of minutes, another entirely was to stay by her side during the night, keeping an eye on everything that was going on around her.

“May I sit down?” she asked.

He crossed his arms over his chest and stood tall, a clear indication his patience was wearing thin. “Stop beating around the bush, tell me what you want.”

Knowing there weren’t many ways to ask, Anna decided to simply state what they needed. “We need you to look after Elsa.”

“Look after her?”

She nodded. “Through the night, if possible.”

He stayed silent, his eyes fixed on Anna’s as if he was trying to read something behind them. “Anna, if you're messing with me—��

“I wouldn't do something like that,” she knew he had a reason to be wary after a week of people denying him the chance to see her, but Anna took offence nonetheless. “Look, you may think I don't understand the way you feel, but I do. Even though I didn’t enjoy it, I see why you chose to be an arse to me today.”

“I was hardly being an arse,” he murmured, avoiding her gaze.

Anna wanted to smack him on the head. “We both want what's best for Elsa. So, trust me when I say we need your help.”

“Did something happen?”

“It's a long story. You should discuss it with Kai or Nielsen, not me.”

Marshal scoffed. “You say, ‘discuss it with Kai’ as if the man didn't hate my guts.”

Anna rolled her eyes. “He doesn't hate you.”

“You're right,” he agreed with a fake smile. “He just doesn't trust me and he wants me as far away from Elsa as possible. My mistake.”

“We discussed who could help us, and we all agree you're the best person to look after her.”

He raised an eyebrow, suspicious about her claim.

“Okay, maybe Kai was outvoted,” she finally admitted. “But Nielsen trusts you. So does Gerda.”

Marshall stayed quiet after that, a pensive look on his face, Anna didn’t quite like. She wasn’t sure what they’d do if he refused and so she tried to convince him. “Elsa needs you.”

Taking a step closer, Marshall leaned down so he was face to face with Anna. “If Kai or anyone tries to kick me out, you’ll be the one dealing with them.”

“I promise.”

“I’m not leaving the hospital until I get to see her, clear?”

Anna breathed out in relief and nodded several times before she took a step forward. Taking advantage of their closeness, she wrapped her arms around him.

Marshall froze, unsure of what to do at first. It was only when he realised Anna was not letting go, that he hugged her back. Anna could feel his arms shaking slightly until they tightened around her and he muttered a soft thank you.

Perhaps he was a little unstable, Anna wouldn’t argue about that. But she was certain he was exactly the kind of person they needed. Strong and savage enough to fight anyone who dared lay a hand on Elsa, but sweet and gentle to care for her the way her sister deserved.

He was the first to let go, claiming he needed to take a quick shower before he left. Looking at the clock on the wall, Anna offered to wait for him. They’d arrive together and wouldn’t keep Nielsen waiting that way.

Marshall nodded and before she knew it, Anna found herself alone in the living room, unsure of what to do while she waited. She contemplated sitting for a moment, but the couch was clearly Marshall’s makeshift bed. She looked around once again and noticed a small table on a corner. The picture frames on it, calling her attention. It felt strange to be intruding into Marshall’s life, but she couldn’t stop her curious side. Even when she knew Marshall didn’t live in the city anymore, she felt drawn to the life he had once had. She wondered if he had been living in that very flat when the incident Kai and Nielsen had been discussing happened.

Absent-mindedly, Anna picked a photo frame from the table, her mind drifting back to the conversation. She couldn’t help but wonder what had driven Marshall, who seemed so uncharacteristically happy holding his degree in the photo, to do something like beating a man unconscious while he was on duty. One thing was to say he’d kick Hans’ butt for getting him fired, another entirely different was to lose his job because someone crossed him.

Too absorbed in her own thoughts, Anna didn’t hear Lena approaching. Only realising she had company when the woman spoke at her back.

“Thankyou,” Lena said, startling her.

“Oh, gosh!” Anna said, pushing the photo frame away from her and leaving it on the table, almost sending the rest of the pictures to the floor. If the woman hadn’t thought her behaviour was strange before, she surely did now. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you coming.”

Lena chuckled and offered her a glass of water, which Anna gladly accepted. She gulped half the glass, hoping the cold water would help her face return to a more normal colour. To her relief it did help and it was only when she was giving the glass back that she realised what Lena had said. “Wait, you said… thank you?”

Lena nodded with a smile. “I know I shouldn't have been eavesdropping.” A faint rose tinting her cheeks. “My husband hates it. It's just… I worry about him.”

“About your husband?”

Lena laughed again. “Marshall,” she clarified, holding the glass tightly with both hands. “Marsh's been worried sick about your sister. He’s been here, doing absolutely nothing else than sleeping and worrying. Only leaving the house to go see her…”

“And I guess he was never in a good mood when he returned,” Anna guessed and Lena didn’t need to answer for her to know that was the case. She had seen him leave the hospital in low spirits almost every day.

Lena nodded, pressing her lips in a thin line. “I was afraid he’d have a relapse, he was starting to behave like a caged animal.”

Opening her eyes in surprise, Anna couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Relapse?”

Looking over her shoulder, Lena checked the door leading to rooms and bathroom was still closed before she explained in a lower voice, “His explosive disorder has been in remission. He’s improved so much over the last couple of years. I know living in the mountains once again, as well as spending time with Elsa has got a lot to do with it…”

“I had no idea,” Anna admitted, even though Marshall’s behaviour began to make a lot more sense now.

Anna thought back to all the times he had said or done things impulsively. His outbursts, the blind rage… and most importantly the regret as soon as he realised the way he was behaving. It all made sense if she put it together. She had seen shame and guilt written on his face the day Elsa called him a brute.

“Being able to see her might help him deal with this a lot better,” Lena explained. “So, thank you.”

“He will be one helping us…”

Before both women could say or ask anything else, the door opened and Marshall came out wearing cleaner and slightly more formal clothes.

“Let's go,” he said, unaware of their conversation.

Anna looked at him and nodded, unsure of what else to say.

Standing right outside her daughter’s room, Gerda stayed quiet watching Nielsen give Marshall all the necessary instructions for the night. Most of them were obvious orders, repetitive even, but the doctor didn’t want to leave anything to chance. More than once he stated the importance of keeping a close eye on the medical team and their work, and even though Marshall seemed curious about it, he didn’t ask why. He simply nodded at every order, as if he was once again working for the man. From time to time, Gerda noticed he’d glance to the side, hoping to get a glimpse of Elsa through the door, but he stayed firm throughout the conversation.

As soon as things were clear, he entered the room, closing the door and leaving Gerda and Nielsen on their own. Nielsen didn’t hesitate to leave. Gerda, on the other hand, found herself having a hard time following him down the hall. The idea of leaving Elsa for over ten hours was abominable. She felt as if she was betraying Elsa’s trust. Abandoning her.

“Gerda,” Nielsen called her name and she nodded, knowing it was a matter of time until someone came to walk her out of the ICU.

She looked over the small window on the door, hoping to see her daughter once more before she left. What she saw then offered Gerda some comfort, transforming the unbearable pain in her chest into a dull ache she’d be able to tolerate during the night.

Marshall was sitting by Elsa’s side, where Gerda always sat, his hand holding her daughter’s tightly. She could see his eyes fixed on Elsa and his mouth moving, talking more than she had seen him talk in the last twenty minutes.

“Gerda, you need to go home.” Nielsen approached her, not wanting to disturb the patients in the other rooms. Jonnas then looked over the window, following Gerda's gaze. A small smile drew on his face. “She’s in good company.”

“I know,” Gerda said. Tearing her eyes away, she began walking. It was best to leave now that she had found the strength to do so.

They both walked in silence out of the ICU and down the hall. There wasn’t much to say between them after spending so many hours together. But, to Gerda’s surprise, Nielsen did stop her to talk before they walked out into the main waiting room where the rest of the family was waiting.

“The Arendelles are Elsa's biological family,” he said, suddenly, not thinking twice about her feelings on the matter.

She nodded, unsure if there was a justified reason to bring that hurtful detail to light.

“I’d like to ask for their medical records. See what we find.”

“They’re completely ordinary people,” Gerda said with a shrug. She saw no reason in digging up their past when they both knew Weselton was the only one responsible for Elsa’s condition. She then walked to the door, hoping to end their conversation.

Nielsen sighed, knowing there wasn’t much he could say to Gerda about that topic. He stopped her once again, however, concerned about a particular issue. “Did Elsa seek help?”

“What?” she asked, letting go of the glass door and turning back to him.

“Has she seen a therapist?”

Averting her eyes, Gerda avoided his scrutiny. “You know Elsa doesn't feel comfortable around strangers.”

“Did you sit down to talk to her about it?”

“Of course I talked to her,” Gerda scoffed. “Do you really think—?”

“About getting professional help, Gerda. Have you talked to her about it?”

“Oh…” Looking down in shame, she shook her head.

“Why not?”

“Nielsen, can’t we discuss this at another time?”

“This is important. Elsa needs help.” It was clear he was talking to her as a friend, not a colleague or Elsa’s doctor anymore. “Why didn't you sit her down to talk about this?”

She scrubbed her eyes, hoping to get rid of the headache that had been tormenting her for days. “We’ve been trying. It’s just so difficult. She's been through so much, I didn’t want to insist on it.”

“I know I’ve suggested you should give her time on these matters but—” Nielsen knew he was in part to blame for it, and he wouldn’t deny it. “Meeting her parents, finding out she’s got a sister… It must have been a terrible blow.”

Finally daring to look at him, Gerda allowed her friend to see how worried she was. “She’s miserable. She’s been trying—” Taking in a deep trembling breath, she admitted, “I’m so afraid of what’s to come…”

“She’ll need all the help she can find,” Nielsen agreed. “Perfectly healthy people struggle with the side effects of sepsis. Their physical and mental health deteriorates significantly. Muscle weakness, pain, insomnia… depression.”

Gerda nodded. She knew exactly what Jonnas was trying to tell her. Perhaps forcing her to get some sleep was his way of telling her she’d need her strength in the upcoming weeks.

There it was again.

The beep.

The extremely annoying beep that wouldn't let her sleep.

She was so tired. Exhausted. And that incessant beep wouldn't stop. It never stopped. She was convinced things would get better when it did, but for some reason, it kept beeping. Didn’t it bother anyone else?

In the rare moments of calmness, however, when her mind finally drifted off and she stopped hearing it, the silence made the excruciating darkness all consuming. Frightening.

She had woken up suddenly, paralysed by the fear of a nightmare she couldn’t remember. Or so she believed. It was dark, after all. Too dark. She might as well still be asleep for all she knew, the darkness being part of just another dream.

She wished she could drift into unconsciousness.

For some reason she couldn’t explain, she kept hearing voices alongside the beep. She wasn’t sure they were part of her dreams anymore, but they helped. They chased the nightmares away.

More often than not, there was a warm, soothing feeling accompanying them. It would come and go, just like the voices, but it would never stay long enough for Elsa to enjoy its comfort.

She wished the voice would stay this time.

A/N -

I've had this chapter “almost ready” for a week and a half now. You have no idea how exasperating it is to know you’re almost ready, and have no time to sit down and actually work on it. Every day I had some free time, I thought to myself, “I'm finishing the chapter today” only for things to happen. In my defence, I'm building my home and that takes a lot of time from my hands when I’m off work. Well, I'm not literally building it. Just doing things myself here and there to save money before competent people come and build the rest. This past week I've been installing electrical conduits in the walls before the builders come to plaster the apartment. Good thing my old man was an electrician. He tells me what to do, I learn, get things done and I save money in the process.

Anyway, enough about my excuses. Let's talk business!

You may have noticed this chapter is a bit long, that's because the characters had things to say to one another and they wouldn't let me stop them. You wouldn't believe the amount of things I cut out this time. Everyone wanted to argue and I couldn't keep them on the right track for more than two paragraphs. Lena showed up as well. It was a mess. The original title wasn’t even Armistice, I think I changed it after I realised I needed a truce between everybody involved to be able to advance with the story.

I think that in the end I was able to stop the nonsense and I'm quite satisfied with the final product, even if it’s a bit longer than planned. I've been trying to keep word count to a minimum, so as not to make this story unbearably longer, but as you can see I keep failing miserably.

I hope you enjoy the chapter nonetheless. I hope it’s not too long. I’ll try to move things forward in the following chapters. And before you ask, no I haven’t forgotten about the unfair way Agdar treated Elsa the last time they met. That’s all planned out and I hope it will come to light soon. Not next-chapter soon, but soon enough.

I’m rambling.

Anyway, enjoy!

- Tag time:

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#Søsken #Sosken #Elsa #Anna #Kristoff #Gerda #Kai #Iduna #Agnarr #Chapter 50 #50 wow #This story was supposed to be 20 chapters long #I don't know how to count #kristanna #frohana #Found family #frozen fanfiction #frozen fanfic

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