Always You

xxxii. Danger in the Library

Anna

When I finally found the book, I knew it the moment I laid eyes on it. As soon as my eyes touched the faded, peeling cover of the red book, a deep pull started me towards it, an urge I was at a loss to explain. I could feel the anticipation, the nervousness, and the relief of finding it crawl up my spine, grateful I had left Eleanor in her crib for this particular venture. I hurried toward the shelf it was contained on, tears ready to spring up as I touched it. As soon as I did so, I felt a wave of nausea come over me before my mother actually appeared in front of me. She looked so real, so completely there, that it almost made me knees buckle. Her dark hair was laying perfectly on her head, just as it always had, her eyes wide and gleaming with the love I had always expected to be in there. She looked younger, calmer than I remembered, and when she gave me a small smile it did not reach her eyes the way it used to.

"Mom," I whispered, reaching for her. She ignored my outstretched arm, instead grabbing the book from my hands and staring at it with wild eyes. She looked so much different from the woman I thought I had known then that I was almost afraid to continue looking for her. She opened it up, flipping through and looking for a certain page. She seemed to have found it, opening her mouth to speak just as the heavy silence was replaced by Kristoff's voice calling for me.

"Anna, where are you?" He cried out, and I instinctively ducked behind a shelf. I somehow knew he was a threat to my mother, but I couldn't figure out why that was so. Wasn't he supposed to protect me? He was the father of my child. He was supposed to support me and love me for eternity. And that was when it dawned on me. Maybe my mother wasn't trying to protect me. What if she wanted the book for some reason that I didn't know, something that could hurt me or Elsa? I stood up abruptly, startling the silently reading woman next to me.

"I'm right here," I spoke, voice trembling with the weight of my sudden breakthrough. I felt the energy near me turn angry, my mother's spirit noticing that I was on to her. When I turned to look at her, my mother was no longer standing there. There was nothing but a black cloud with red dots I assumed were eyes, an evil pulse emanating from it. I smacked the book from it's hands just as Kristoff ran over. He must have seen it, because his face went whiter than snow and his arms wrapped around me in a protective shield. "Get out of here!" I cried at the spirit, and it disappeared with a low growl. Something told me this was not the end of my struggles, but at least fro now I was safe to crumple into Kristoff's arms and cry, which was exactly what I did. 

Kristoff

Anna was hidden in the library, more and more books strewn around her, and I couldn't place the tension I felt rising within me. All I knew was that I needed to find her. It took a few too long moments after I called for her for her to surface, but when she did I could see the terror on her pretty face. I rushed to her, eyes instantly locking on the scary black mass of energy beside her. I realized what was happening then, she had been looking for a book under this thing's orders, she had been possessed in a way and the thought alone terrified me. I rushed to her, wrapping my arms around her small, quivering form. She yelled at the thing, waiting until it was gone before letting her muscles relax and breaking into tears. I could feel how weak she was just through touching her and I lifted her into my arms. Knowing she would want one, I ran her one of her famous baths, climbing in with her to make sure she didn't pass out or something.

"Wanna talk about it?" I asked, staring at the wall as I played gently with her strawberry-blonde hair. She sighed.

"It said it was my mother. It sounded like her. Kristoff," Her voice broke, a loud sniff punctuating her sentence.

"I know, baby, I know. It's okay, no one is going to be mad at you." I cooed to her, wanting her to relax and not blame herself. She was so bony at this point that her ribs were digging into my stomach where she laid against me, her shoulder blades sticking out in the back like angel's wings. 

"Why did I believe it?" She whispered, sorrow in her voice. I wanted nothing more than to take her pain away. I didn't want her here, sad and crying, when she should have been happy with her life. She just had a baby, had just been married, and here she was, miserable because something had taken advantage of her. It shattered me. 

"You couldn't help it, don't beat yourself up. It's all better now," I comforted her, not sure what else to say. I was never good at the comfort stuff, but now more than ever I wished I was. I just wanted her to be okay again, I hated seeing her as empty as an old toothpaste tube, her once happy contents strewn about like confetti. I needed my girl back, the exuberant princess I had fallen in love with.

I thought of the first night I met her, smiling softly at the memory. She had been in that stupid shop, with no idea how to start the journey she needed to make. She bought the right clothes, but still had no idea where to go from there. She tried to act tough and self-sufficient, but I could see right through her. My tough guy thing kind of flopped over when I couldn't pay for the things I needed, but when she brought them into me I knew that she was worth a shot. Her blue eyes shone with determination, not a hair out of place in her bright braids. She was fierce and energetic, the kind of fearless optimist that shone her light upon everything she touched. I think I had fallen in love with her from the time she threw the carrots on my face, but I refused to admit it. When I finally got to kiss her, it was everything I had envisioned it would be. Her lips were soft and unsure against mine, the legendary fireworks dancing behind my eyelids. She was the perfect girl.

And now a shell of that girl sat in front of me, shaking and afraid of everything around her. I made a promise to my self then that I would turn her back into the girl I had fallen in love with.

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A/N: Hey, guys, I'm sooo sorry I didn't update! I feel awful. BUT. School is finally out for the summer, so I should be able to get some updates out. :) Also, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 20K! You guys are amazing, nad I love every one of you. Please vote and comment, thanks!!