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lelitachay · 15 days

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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 to 50 - Here Chapter 51 - Here

Shadows still remain

Elsa couldn't remember much of the first time she woke up from the never-ending dreams and nightmares. There were fragments of pain and confusion, like shards of broken glass she tried to piece together. Despite her best efforts, whenever she managed to push through the dense fog in her mind, the pieces would vanish, leaving her grasping at nothing and wondering if she had in fact woken up or if had all been part of another distressing dream.

She recalled the stiffness in her body and the overwhelming fear that gripped her upon awakening a second time. Each muscle in her body seemed locked in a relentless struggle between the urge to move and the excruciating discomfort that accompanied any attempt to do so. It felt as though her body had forgotten how to move, and every attempt to adjust in bed sent waves of pain shooting through her.

The intensity of her throbbing hand, head and lower back, pushed everything else to the back of her mind, including her surroundings, stopping her from understanding why every alarm inside her head had gone off and screamed at her to move and do something. It wasn't until she attempted to lift her right hand that the soul-crushing reality washed over her. There had been something —or someone— restraining her movements and only then she registered the beeping monitors, the antiseptic smell, and the incessant questioning from the people surrounding her.

What followed after was still a blur. She recalled piercing screams and the metallic clatter of falling objects. Darkness engulfed her at some point and while she fought to stay awake, she felt the grip of crippling fear intensifying.

Waking up for a third time was not as confusing, but it was just as unnerving as the second time. The antiseptic smell was the first thing she registered when her mind brought her back to consciousness, even when the stiffness and pain still persisted, attracting almost all of her attention. The smell brought back a flood of memories she wished had remained buried in the depths of her mind. The feeling of being poked and prodded by strangers, the impersonal touch of the medical equipment, the suffocating isolation… It all came back to her at once.

Panic and fear gripped her chest like a vice, making it nearly impossible for her to breathe. Her heart pounded painfully as she tried to sit, but her weakened body stopped her, forcing her back onto the bed. The beeping sound that had once annoyed her in her dreams became louder, unrelenting, and that’s when the room filled with voices once again.

It seemed as if she was trapped in an endless dream, and instead of finding solace in her awakening, her past life was waiting for her.

A fleeting memory of her childhood resurfaced in the middle of her panic state. As soon as the machines stopped beeping, the people would resume whatever it was they did outside her room and she’d be alone again. Solitude frightened her, but it was better than being surrounded by strangers. All she needed was to keep calm long enough for them to go. To her disappointment, it was easier said than done. Back then, all she had known was life inside a white room, it had been easy to disconnect from the things going on around her as there had been nothing waiting for her outside the wall. Now, as an adult she’d come to understand it was easier to be brave when there was nothing to lose.

Amidst the chaos and her sinking feeling of hopelessness, someone held her hand and it helped her find something to hold onto before she lost her mind.

“You’re safe,” the person said in a calm voice, even when frost kept creeping out her fingers.

With struggle, she turned towards the person and a wave of relief washed over her. She wasn’t sure if Gerda was real but she held tighter onto her hand, desperately begging for her not to disappear.

As the minutes passed, Elsa found herself drifting into a restless sleep once again, her mind plagued by fragmented dreams and the fear of her life having been nothing but a drug-induced fantasy.

---

Slamming his car door shut, Marshall rushed to the hospital’s entrance. He only allowed himself to slow down when he crossed the double glass doors, knowing he needed to catch his breath before he asked the receptionist to let him in. He needed to convince Nielsen he was serious about looking after Elsa and not a careless mess capable of falling asleep before his shift. He knew his face was probably a telltale of how tired he felt, but he wouldn’t give the old doctor or Kai the satisfaction of proving he wasn’t mentally fit to do the job.

It was just his luck to oversleep now, when sleep had evaded him for most part of the day. He knew he was responsible for it. No matter how frustrated he was at Kristoff for dragging him to a café in the early morning, he was the only one to blame for not going back home as soon as he had left the hospital. He had been the one to follow Kristoff in a forced attempt to get closer to Elsa’s family. In his defence, little had he expected for their conversation to stretch for over two hours, only to end abruptly the moment Kristoff realised he was late for work; leaving Marshall with more questions than answers and a dreadful feeling in the pit of his stomach.

It had all started with Kristoff asking about his shift and if there was anything worth mentioning about Elsa’s recovery. After explaining Elsa’s sudden awakening and reassuring him his sister would come to her senses soon, Marshall shared with him the strange visit Elsa had gotten in the middle of the night. His short conversation with Nielsen had only arisen more questions than answers; and so, in a desperate attempt to find out more —as well as finding himself more talkative than usual— Marshall had confided in Kristoff his worries. To his surprise, instead of finding in Kristoff a voice of reason that could help him alleviate his concerns, he found more ground to base the feeling that Elsa wasn’t safe unless they were there for her at all times.

As the conversation developed, it became evident to Marshall that he wasn't the only one needing a confidant. On his part, Kristoff ended up confessing why it was so necessary to keep someone close to Elsa. He mentioned a few unsettling facts about Elsa's recovery arrangements and finally admitted his family was forced to request Arendelle’s help in a desperate attempt to keep some unscrupulous people quiet. Marshall had tried to ask what exactly had happened, but Kristoff remained cryptic, only conceding the hospital director and someone else were a bit too interested in Elsa’s powers to be trusted. The conversation running short prevented Marshall from getting more information out of Kristoff. This left him feeling anxious and restless.

By the time he had begun walking back to his temporary home, he wasn’t feeling tired anymore. As soon as he had walked into his mother’s apartment, the idea of taking a long shower and trying to sleep vanished. His mother and her husband were already up and about for the day and this had forced him to sit by his stepfather’s side in uncomfortable silence while he waited for the bathroom to be available.

He had made an effort to participate in Arne’s morning chit chat; but no matter how much time went by, the two never seemed to find a common ground to talk about. Most often than not, Arne tried to break the awkward silence with meddling questions. And, as it was expected, at some point in their conversation he started asking questions about Elsa — even when he had never seen or heard about the girl from Marshall himself.

Once or twice Arne referred to her as Marshall’s girlfriend, proving how little the man knew about him. Not knowing what else to do, Marshall put up with the man until he tried to offer some unsolicited advice. As soon as it happened, Marshall found himself walking out the door with a random excuse. He then began walking away from his mother’s building. The walk transformed into him jogging in an attempt to clear his mind. At first he had only intended to run a few kilometres. Give his mother and her husband enough time to go to work before he went inside once again; but before he knew it, he found himself at the fjord on the opposite side of town.

Instead of running back right then, like he should have done, he continued jogging alongside the fjord until his lungs felt like they were on fire and he was too tired to think about anything but his breathing. Despite the long hours at the hospital and the strenuous physical activity, he had trouble eating or sleeping when he got home, only for exhaustion to claim him late in the afternoon.

"Marshall?” Anna's voice echoed in the waiting room pulling him back to the present and making him realise he was already by the receptionist’s desk.

“Marshall, please can you ask them to let me see Elsa?" Anna asked. She seemed confused as to why he was out of sorts, but to his good luck she didn’t make any comments.

"I'm running late, Anna," Marshall replied, his tone harried as he glanced at the clock of the waiting room.

"I know.” She offered a wry smile as if he had stated the obvious. "Kai's been looking for you," she informed him.

"Damn it. Damn it," Marshall muttered under his breath, his mind racing with thoughts of the impending conversation with Kai.

"Hey, it's okay." With a mix of concern and frustration, Anna placed a hand on his arm.

"No, it's not.” Marshall admitted. “I can't afford to lose Kai’s weak trust."

She could probably hear the strain in his voice, but after everything he had learnt he didn’t have the energy to pretend otherwise. He couldn’t help worrying he’d be forced to stay away from Elsa once again.

After a moment, the receptionist allowed him into the wards and he left Anna with the promise of talking to Nielsen as soon as he and Kai stopped reprimanding him.

As he had been expecting, it only took Kai one glance in his direction for his facial expression to change. He stood up as soon as he saw him walk into the small room outside the ICU, and he crossed the room in a few strides.

“Where have you been?” Kai asked, his arms crossed over his chest. He kept his voice low but the words hit him as if he had yelled them in Marshall’s face. “We've been looking for you.”

“I know. I know I'm late.” Marshall put his hands up in a vain attempt to show innocence, and continued, “I didn't mean to—”

He stopped abruptly when his eyes fell on Gerda who was sitting on the other side of the room. She kept an arm close to her body, in a way that only meant one thing. She was injured. Marshall’s stomach dropped as soon as he saw the bandages confirming his suspicion. “What happened?” He asked, ignoring Kai altogether.

“It's nothing,” Gerda said with a forced smile. “She was confused. Scared.”

“It doesn’t mean it didn’t happen,” Kai said, looking at Gerda over his shoulder and bringing the attention back to him. Turning back to Marshall, he jabbed him in the chest. “We needed you here two hours ago.”

“It isn’t serious,” Gerda retorted. “And Marshall usually arrives here at eight, not seven. He had no way of knowing this had happened.”

Not knowing if it was safe to get in between the old couple’s argument, Marshall tried to divert attention from the fact he was late and tried to find out more about what was going on. “Who's staying with Elsa?”

“Nielsen. And you don’t need to worry. She's asleep right now.”

The way Gerda averted her eyes told Marshall all he needed to know. Elsa had lost control once again and Nielsen hadn’t thought of a different solution than in the early morning.

“Is she aware of where she is?” Marshall asked, hoping to find out more about Elsa and not let his anger take control. “Aware of what happened?”

“To an extent,” Gerda claimed. “We talked to her when the ice receded. We tried to explain and she seemed to understand... But despite her best efforts, she couldn't stay awake for long.”

Knowing Elsa had tried to remain conscious despite the drugs made Marshall’s blood boil, but he bit his tongue. He had no right to complain when he hadn’t been there for Elsa to begin with, and he couldn’t really blame the doctor when Elsa was putting people at risk. Once again he mentally beat himself up for having overslept.

“How is she?”

Gerda paused, taking longer to answer than he would have liked. “She's in a lot of pain.”

Before he could answer, the door opened and Nielsen walked in, his voice cutting through the short silence that had taken over the room.

“There you are,” he said, pointing at Marshall. “I was about to send someone to get you.” He gestured for him to sit down and continued, “I need to explain a few things to you. Don't give me a hard time, don't over react and don't let what I'm about to tell you distract you from what truly matters. Am I clear?”

The urgency in the doctor’s voice stopped Marshall from arguing. He sat down next to Gerda. Even when he wouldn’t admit it out loud, the old woman provided a sense of comfort he desperately needed.

Looking at Kai for a brief moment, the doctor waited for him to nod, silently agreeing with him, before he began speaking. “Elsa suffers from nosocomephobia, you know that, don’t you?”

Tilting his head in disbelief, Marshall tried to find his voice. “I knew she was afraid of hospitals to an extent. I never imagined it was so bad.”

“We call it phobia for lack of better words,” Gerda explained, briefly interrupting Nielsen.

Nielsen agreed with a nod of his head. “Considering Elsa’s background, it’s far from being an irrational fear. She went through severe trauma in her childhood, spending years secluded in hospital rooms,” he explained. “The sound, the smell, even the clothes the staff wear, can trigger panic attacks and thus trigger her powers.”

Marshall blinked a few times, his mouth slightly ajar, trying to understand what he was being told. Elsa’s past seemed to be a recurring theme he’d never quite decipher. When her powers came to light, he thought there wasn’t much more about her life that could surprise him, yet there was Nielsen proving him wrong once more. What hurt the most at that moment was knowing Nielsen wouldn’t use the word severe to describe her trauma if it wasn’t the truth; and the mere thought of it was enough to pierce his heart.

“I cannot explain for the life of me how the ice is linked to her emotions,” Nielsen continued, unaware of his inner turmoil. “I just know it is. It's of utmost importance that you reassure Elsa she's safe. As many times as you need to, do you understand?”

Noticing he was still trying to process everything he was being told, Kai took his silence as a cue to make sure he understood where he stood in all of this. “Under any other circumstances, Kristoff and Anna would’ve been our first choice to stay with Elsa in a situation like this. They aren’t medically trained, however, and Nielsen doesn’t feel comfortable leaving them alone with her in case things go pear-shaped. We need you to continue filling in for them.”

Marshall breathed in, slowly nodding his head. He wasn’t sure he was doing a good job putting up the appearance of being under control anymore, but still he tried. Deep down all he wanted was to help Elsa anyway he could. The day she had fallen sick, Marshall came to understand she was the only good thing he had going on in his life. The only person who had ever truly stopped to see him and listen to him. She had done so much for him, even when she was unaware of it all, and he couldn’t let his temper ruin the chance he had to help her in return.

“One more thing,” Nielsen said in a gentler tone of voice, like he already knew the information could overwhelm him. “You told me this morning a man came to see Elsa in the middle of the night. I’ll put it simply, we do not trust these people. Make sure no-one —no-one— enters her room.”

A hand squeezed his knee and it took Marshall a moment to understand Gerda was trying to soothe him, as well as making sure he listened. “This is truly important, Marshall. It’s for her safety.”

Impulsively, Marshall held Gerda’s hand and reassured her, as well as the men standing over him they needn’t worry. He then promised to himself to do absolutely everything he could not to let them down.

“Nielsen and I will stay for another few hours,” Gerda explained when she noticed the resolution in his eyes. “We’ll wait for her to wake up again and make sure she understands where she is before we tell her you’ll be staying.”

“In case her powers react in your presence, move fast and try to avoid them. A nurse got a cold injury this morning and so did Gerda.”

Hearing Nielsen talk about Elsa’s powers as if they were a common occurrence surprised him once again, making him wonder how many times they had been in a similar situation. He wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to know the answer.

“Not a word to Elsa about Gerda or that girl getting hurt,” Kai interjected. “Am I clear?”

Kai waited for him to nod his head before he turned to his wife. “Are you sure it’s a good idea for Elsa to see you after what happened?”

“For the last time, Kai, I’m okay. It’s not that serious. I’ll keep my hand down, she won’t notice.”

“If she does, her anxiety will spiral out of control.”

Even if Marshall wouldn’t give Kai the satisfaction of agreeing with him, he had to admit it he had a reasonable point. It was best to keep Elsa in the shadows about her mother’s injury. The regret he had seen written in her face when she froze his arm was still ingrained in his brain. Nothing good would come from telling her Gerda was injured or for her to notice something wasn’t right. He guessed keeping the secret was the wisest thing they could do.”

“Who’s gotten hurt?” he asked, curious about the other nurse.

“Frida, the girl you saw this morning,” Nielsen replied, ignoring Kai and Gerda who continued arguing with one another. “She’s fine but she requested not to be involved in Elsa’s recovery any longer. We need a meeting with Landvik about this.” He then reminded Kai, in hopes he’d focus on more important things than the jacket Gerda would or wouldn’t wear inside the room to hide her injury.

Kai stopped his conversation and nodded, understanding that meeting Landvik was necessary after the incident.

The more they talked around him, the more confused Marshall became. Only a moment before they had told him not to allow Landvik in Elsa’s room, but they arranged meetings with the man nonetheless. “I thought you didn't trust him.”

Shaking his head, Nielsen sighed tiredly. “He's still the director. I can't make certain choices without going through him first.”

---

Elsa felt a sense of heaviness weighing down on her as she woke up. Even the slightest movement made her spasming muscles press in from all sides, to the point where breathing seemed to require more effort than her weak body could manage. She opened her eyes for a brief moment, closing them as soon as the whiteness of the room became a blinding memory. She breathed in and out a few times, calming her beating heart and orienting herself before her heart beat made the machines start beeping any louder.

She wasn’t as confused as the last few times she had woken up, but her body was still weak and she felt a surge of anxiety wash over her at the mere thought of being confined to a sterile environment. The smell of antiseptic, the beeping of monitors, the feeling of being trapped — it all threatened to suffocate her.

Pushing past the pain, she tried to sit up. She barely had time to register the strap around her wrist before someone gently pushed her back onto the bed. Opening her eyes once more, she was surprised to see Gerda sitting by her side, her soft gaze waiting for her to regain her senses.

Seeing the old woman there helped Elsa remain calm despite the fear creeping inside her. Her poor attempt at sitting had drained her energy, making her hopelessly aware she had no other option but to accept whatever was coming her way. She was too tired to fight, and despite her desire to run away and hide somewhere far away, her body couldn’t do much to help her.

“Dear?" Gerda said after giving her some time to adjust to the brightness of the room. "Welcome back, sweetheart."

With effort, she managed to turn slightly to her right and focus on Gerda as the woman began to speak. She watched the old woman speak for a while, certain that whatever she was missing was important. But her mind felt foggy, and she struggled to focus on anything but the restraints on her wrists and the fact Gerda was sitting too far away for her. Almost as if she was a stranger — simply another nurse from the dozens she’d seen in her life.

Try as she might, Elsa couldn’t remember much about their last conversation either. She recalled Nielsen explaining she was sick and Gerda making sure she listened. The rest was a blur, however, and Elsa wished she could remember what exactly had happened to her.

Somewhere in between Gerda's one-sided conversation, Nielsen entered the room. Or had he been standing in the corner the whole time? He began checking on her. And not for the first time, Elsa wished she had the strength to push the doctor away, even if Gerda didn’t approve. She was tired of it all. How many times had she woken up to doctors poking her sides and the feeling of needles piercing her skin?

The door opened slightly, getting Elsa's attention, as well as Nielsen’s who suddenly stopped what he was doing. Her anxiety spiked once again and the doctor reassured her she could trust the new visitor.

The man who entered the room didn’t say much. He simply nodded in Nielsen's direction and took a few tentative steps towards Gerda’s chair. It took Elsa a moment to discern his features and realise with great relief that she knew him too well.

Seeing Marshall standing in the room became a welcomed distraction from her spiralling thoughts. His quiet presence brought her a sense of calmness she desperately needed. To the point it made her wonder if her mind wasn’t playing nasty tricks on her. She had slipped in and out of consciousness for so long she couldn’t hold onto anything anymore.

He stood by Gerda’s side until she finished speaking, then moved closer to the bed. A soft smile drew on his face when their eyes met.

"Hey," he said softly. His voice as gentle as ever made her believe that perhaps he wasn't a drugged-induced hallucination.

Elsa managed a weak smile, though it felt more like a grimace. "Hey," she mumbled, her voice raspy from disuse. It felt strange to try to use her voice after so long, especially when Nielsen seemed surprised she managed to speak at all. Was she not supposed to speak?

Marshall reached out, and even though he hesitated at first, he gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. His touch soothing her fevered skin. Unaware of her inner turmoil, Marshmallow’s smile became wider.

"How are you feeling?"

Elsa's faint smile faded, replaced by a look of resignation. Like I'm stuck in a nightmare I can't wake up from, she wanted to say but she didn't trust her voice. She opened her mouth to speak but a coughing fit shook her entire body.

Gerda stood up instinctively in an attempt to help her, though she stopped herself halfway. She took a step back and looked at Marshall instead. Her eyes asked something of him, something Elsa couldn’t understand.

Unlike her, Marshall seemed to understand what Gerda meant and he stepped up to help her.

---

It hadn’t taken long for Elsa to drift off to sleep after Gerda and Nielsen informed her he would be staying with her. She had seemed lost and confused, so they had all agreed to let her sleep instead of forcing her to stay awake listening to their arrangements.

As the night wore on, Elsa's sleep grew more restless, her breathing becoming shallow and laboured. Marshall's heart clenched at the sight of her distress, and a sense of urgency drove him to action.

He got his chair closer to Elsa’s bed and gently reached out, taking her hand in his. Nielsen had warned him about Elsa’s vivid nightmares and suggested acting with caution if he saw the need to wake her up.

"I'm here, Elsa," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Elsa stirred at his touch, her brow furrowing in confusion. Slowly, she opened her eyes, the remnants of sleep still clinging to her weary frame. "Marshall?" she whispered with uncertainty.

He nodded, his gaze filled with tenderness as he caressed her hand. "I'm here," he repeated. "Let me know if you need anything.”

For a moment, they sat in silence, the soft beeping of machines punctuating the silence. There wasn’t much Marshall could say to alleviate her pain and confusion, so he remained quiet, giving her all the time she needed.

He expected her to drift off to sleep once again, but instead she turned to him before she murmured, “you're not here.”

“What?”

“This isn't—” Shaking her head she stopped talking and looked at her strapped hand. “I need to take this off," she protested, her voice strained with urgency. It didn’t seem as if she was talking to him anymore, simply thinking out loud.

Elsa's fingers twitched, a fleeting attempt to raise her hand only to be stopped by the restraints once again. Marshall noticed her heartbeat rising and so he decided to put a stop to Nielsen’s nonsense before Elsa’s uneasiness caused another accident.

“Here, let me help you with this.” With care, he unfastened her light restraints putting them away, far from her line of vision. He caressed her wrist in a soothing manner, even when he knew the restraints hadn’t hurt her in any way.

Narrowing her eyes, she looked at their hands and then met his eyes. “You’re here?" Elsa's voice was still uncertain, seeking confirmation of reality.

"I’m real," Marshmallow affirmed, a gentle laugh escaping his lips. "See?" he said, intertwining his fingers with hers.

"Why?"

“Why?” he repeated. “Well, my mother met a guy thirty years ago, she made a series of stupid mistakes and…” In his lame attempt to draw a smile from her lips, he noticed he was confusing her even further, so he dropped his joke halfway through. He sighed and started over. “I’ve been looking after you during the nights. Gerda needed someone to keep you company. She didn’t want you to be alone.”

"What happened?" Elsa's voice cracked, her fear surfacing in her trembling words.

"Your hand got infected.” He replied, a hint of exasperation mingling with concern. “Like I said it would if you didn’t listen to me." A small playful smile tugged at his lips.

Elsa frowned, her eyes fixing on her lap and Marshall swore he could see the gears turning in her head as she tried to piece together her memories and the things she had been told. “How are you feeling?" he asked as soon as he noticed her growing quiet.

"I– I am—" Elsa's voice faltered, tears welling up in her eyes as she struggled to find words to express herself. "I don’t understand half the things I’m being told. I’m scared," she confessed.

"You're safe," he whispered with a sad smile.

"No. No, I'm not. I—" Elsa's protest was cut short by a surge of panic. Moving fast, she gripped the IV line connected to the medical equipment.

"No, no.” He stood up, stopping her from tearing the needle from her arm. “What do you think you’re doing? You need this," Marshmallow insisted firmly, his eyes pleading with her to understand.

Elsa struggled, trying to break free from his grip.

"Els. Elskling, you're safe," Marshmallow repeated, his voice unwavering as he sought to anchor her fragile mind. "You’re just confused. You’ve just woken up from a two-week coma," Marshmallow reminded her.

Elsa's agitation escalated, her hands trembling as she attempted to free herself.

“Stop. Elsa, stop. You'll hurt yourself," Marshmallow urged, moving to restrain her gently.

In his careful but unsuccessful attempt to stop her, Elsa managed to clasp the IV line again and pulled, ripping it off her arm. She winced as pain shot through her arm and body, and blood started pouring from the wound.

Sighing heavily, Marshmallow reached out to steady her, his touch more firm. "Why are you so damn stubborn?" he murmured, his frustration tinged with affection. He couldn’t say he was surprised to see her stubbornness remaining in spite of everything she had gone through.

He only managed to stop her once he hugged her close. She was cold to the touch, but no frost seemed to be forming around her, so he continued to hold tightly.

Realising she had nowhere to go, she hid her face in the crook of his neck. "I want to go home," she managed to say in between sobs.

"I’m sorry, but you can’t. You're too weak."

It didn’t take long for medical staff to enter the room, alerted by the beeping monitors. Marshall felt Elsa grip his clothes tightly when they got closer and he knew it was best to keep them as far away as possible. For Elsa’s comfort and their own safety as well.

"What happened? Is she—"

"She's fine. She just tried to get up," Marshmallow explained, his attention fully focused on Elsa.

"She shouldn't be able to move this much," one of the nurses observed. The blankets and IV drip hanging on one side of the bed were proof enough Elsa had indeed trashed a lot more than she should have in her weakened state.

"Adrenaline rush. Don't worry.” Marshall said, trying to reassure the medical team and prove things were still under control. To his disappointment, Elsa tried to get away once again as frost began covering her bedding. “Damn it," Marshmallow muttered under his breath, his hands moving to restrain her once more.

Once he was certain Elsa wouldn't harm herself or anyone around her, he asked one of the nurses for a piece of gauze and pressed it to her arm, trying to stop the bleeding. The nurse stood next to them in an attempt to help Marshall and grabbed the drip. He replaced the needle, but as soon as he tried to insert it into Elsa's arm, she panicked again, trashing slightly in a weak attempt to stop them both.

"It's just a drip. You've got to trust us," Marshall urged, his eyes pleading with her to listen and calm down.

"I can't go through this again," Elsa sobbed, her fragile resolve crumbling.

Knowing she wouldn’t listen until she managed to calm down, Marshall requested the nurses to leave them alone. His voice was a gentle plea as he sought to shield her from the intrusive medical staff. “Please.”

The two nurses looked at each other and after a brief moment nodded in understanding, leaving them both alone. Marshall knew they were going to stay close, if not right outside in case something happened, but he was thankful they trusted him enough to solve the situation on his own.

“Hey,” Marshall said, putting some distance between the two of them. “It's just you and me, see? That's how it's supposed to be, unless the machines alert them something isn't right. That's why I need you to trust me and let me put this drip back in place.”

Tightly closing her eyes, Elsa breathed in and out several times, trying in vain to calm her racing heart. The monitor kept beeping by their side, but to Marshall’s relief the ice receded.

“Will you let me help you?” he asked, hoping she had managed to regain some composure.

Elsa’s cold and unforgiving gaze sent an uneasy chill running down his spine the moment she opened her eyes. “You're just one of them.”

“One of whom?”

“Them…” Her sad eyes looking at the closed door.

“I'm not one of them.” Marshall scoffed.

“Why are you helping them? What did I ever do to you?" Elsa's voice trembled with accusation, her confusion manifesting as misplaced anger.

"Els… I— what? I'm helping you," Marshall protested, his brow furrowing in perplexity.

"Then get me out of here, Marshmallow," Elsa pleaded.

Hearing her call him Marshmallow after so many days, after thinking he would never see her again, made him forget about everything else. Suddenly, he wasn’t mad nor hurt at her mistrust, he was simply glad to see her, to be able to talk to her and knowing she would make it out alive.

He blinked a few times, trying to get rid of the tears brimming his eyes. “The gods know I'd take you anywhere you want. The only thing stopping me right now is your health. I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to you. So, please, Elsa…” He showed her the drip in his hand and let her choose for herself. If she didn’t listen, then he’d have to walk out the room and let the nurses do whatever was necessary. He wouldn’t put her health at risk anymore.

She remained silent for a couple of minutes, her good hand clasping the bed sheets close to her.

“Please, let me help you. I promise I’ll do anything to chase the shadows away.”

Her silence made Marshall think there was nothing else for him to do but call the medical staff. He’d deal with the repercussions of his choice at another time. But to his surprise, just before he walked away from her, Elsa extended her trembling arm.

Her injured hand was covered by layers of bandages, so he avoided holding it and gently supported her arm instead. He cleaned the dried blood and only then noticed the small, almost imperceptible scars that marred her arm. He silently inspected her other arm and was surprised to find small wound after wound marking it as well. If Nielsen hadn't explained Elsa’s childhood briefly to him that evening, he would have thought Elsa’s wounds came from substance abuse. After seeing Elsa struggling to free herself a moment ago, he knew they were needle marks.

Drawing in a shaky breath, Marshall bit his lip and remained calm as he inserted the IV once again. A sudden urge to take her far away from the hospital washed over him, but he had to remind himself he was not abusing Elsa, simply trying to help her heal. When he made sure it was in place, he looked at her in a forced attempt to reassure her everything was in order.

Elsa was looking at her arm, her eyes sadder than he had ever seen them. "I don’t want to live like this," she admitted, her voice so low, he wouldn’t have heard her if not for the fact they were in a small and quiet room.

---

Phew… That was something.

I can’t believe it took me this long to get the words out, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t find the right words for this chapter. I tried draft after draft of every scene and nothing seemed to work. I don’t know what changed in the last week, but finally I was able to sit down and order my ideas to something more coherent that actually helped me move the plot along. I know it doesn’t seem like it now, but trust me it does.

I’m sorry I kept you guys waiting. I didn’t want to post a tangled mess since I know you’ve been waiting for Elsa to wake up for a very long time now. I also know you’ve all been expecting a sisterly (siblingly?) reunion and hopefully we’ll get it next chapter. I couldn’t just drop everyone on Elsa right now. It was too much for her — and me — to handle.

Also, I know some things won’t be medically accurate, I’m using coffee-powered research I can do on the internet for this story, so I’m pretty sure half the things going on wouldn’t be allowed in a real medical setting, but bear with me. I’m trying. If there’s something truly disastrous, please let me know, I’ll try to fix it if possible. Feedback helps a lot in the writing process.

Medical stuff aside, let me know what you think of the chapter as well! It’s so fun to read all your takes on every chapter and your analyses. I know I owe replies from the previous chapter to all of you. I’ll try to catch up with all of those lovely messages. Work has been hectic lately and I wanted to focus on writing a new chapter instead of replying. But I’ll reply soon enough. Promise.

I hope you enjoy the chapter. Take care!

- Tag time:

@swimmingnewsie @melody-fox @kristoffxannafanatic @kristannafictionals @neptrabbit @skneez @ellacarter13 @wondering-in-life @who-i-am-8 @fanfictionrecommendations-com @815-allisnotlost @khartxo @joannevixxon @betweenthedreams @burbobah @rileysfs @earlvessalius @blood-jewel @snowycrocus @the-sky-is-awake @disneyfan103 @anamaria8garcia @welovefrozenfanfiction @bigfrozenfan @bigfrozenfan-archive @frozenartscapes @deisymendoza @zackhaikal123 @cornstarch @roostercrowedatmidnight @showurselfelsa @when-dawn-arrives @tare-disney @wabitham @just-your-local-history-nerd @dontrunintofirexoxo @daphmckinnon @poketin @luna-and-mars @shimmeringsunsets @aries1708 @wabitham @agentphilindaisy @spkfrozenkindikids123 @jimmi-arts @snowmanmelting @loonysama @hiptoff @loonysama @tare-disney @frozenwolftemplar @true–north @holycolordreamertree @bigfrozensix

#Sosken #Søsken #Elsa #Anna #Kristoff #Frozen fanfiction #Frozen fic #Frozen modern AU #Kristanna #Frohana #family drama #hurt comfort #marshall #marshmallow #gerda #kai #iduna #agdar #chapter 52

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frozen-snowflakesandsunflowers · 7 months

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Hans' cold heart explained through 'The Snow Queen' | Theory | Analysis

I've seen posts that say Hans was actually hypnotized by the trolls on his way to the mountain, turning "evil" and though one wouldn't clearly see this possible or something the innocent trolls would do, after reading the Snow Queen, I believe that instead it's just used as a metaphor for Hans to show us that really just like Kai, there is a warm genuine heart underneath that cold blanket that covers it. If you read @a13thprincefora13thprincess's Who is this Hans? post (sorry I keep mentioning you every time I mention Hans, but your analysis is just that good! It changed my perception further on Hans - It could do to more!), it will allow you to see the sudden change in Hans' from good to evil and his reasons for his actions, scene by scene, frame by frame. She also mentions that Hans is actually the mirror in 'The Snow Queen', while as we all know, Elsa is the Snow Queen. However I also believe that both Elsa and Hans have elements of Kai too; while Anna is full on Gerda with the warm heart with Elsa/ Kai as their "true love" (in different forms) and Hans seems to be the one with the sudden cold heart. While we first see him as a genuine warm hearted man,

he's later shown to be a cold hearted one just like Kai was, though he was eventually saved by Gerda with an act of true love (just like Elsa was saved from Hans (the mirror and the cold hearted Kai) by Anna).

In the original story telling, Kai was struck by the mirror that the trolls made, but in 'Frozen' they're friendly, loving and family to Kristoff, so I don't think the trolls may have a direct impact on Hans' cold heart turn but then again you never know. Frozen is full of its glorious twists!

Breakdown of the original in the retelling

Originally, the trolls made the mirror to distort the appearance of everything it reflects showing the opposite of what actually is. They take the mirror all over the world and distort everything then they go on their way to God and the angels with the mirror to shove it their faces. But on the way, the mirror trembles and falls shattering into a billion pieces. Some get struck in the eye and sike in the heart making the warm hearts, turn cold. One shard struck Kai in the eye making him cold hearted. Kai had a best friend named Gerda and roses were their favourite flower as they grew in the play area they played in. Hence it is a symbolism of their love. After being struck, on a summers day, Kai goes off to the Snow Queen's ice palace. When Winter comes round, Gerda decides to find Kai believing he's still alive. On her way, in search of Kai, she befriends a few people. She also collects a horse, carriage and boots so she stays warm. At the ice palace, finally having found Kai, she shows him an act of true love with a kiss and thaws his cold heart getting rid of the shard in it too.

Now as we know, the movie isn't a direct retelling of the classic but it does keep some key elements to it. Instead of friends and being different genders, the main two protagonists are sisters, named Elsa and Anna. And the Snow Queen is Elsa with the given powers. When they were younger and they played together they built a snowman, named Olaf and it's a symbolism of their bond. But there comes a point when Elsa loses control of her powers and actually strikes Anna in the head. The family goes to the trolls who aren't evil but are the good wise ones and replace Elsa's magic in Anna's memory, with the two playing in the snow. Fearing Elsa might accidentally hurt Anna again, she locks herself in her room for years causing the sisters to fall apart. At the coronation when it's accidentally revealed Elsa has powers, she runs off to the North mountain where it's colder and more isolated and there she builds an ice palace. Just before the coronation, on summers day, Anna meets Hans, a handsome prince who she falls in love with - the warm hearted Kai. But with Elsa running off, Anna goes after her on a horse. On the way to find Elsa, Anna befriends a few people just as Gerda does. But as she does so, she is offered winter attire including a pair of boots. Given that Elsa accidentally froze the sea and hence the kmad, it's now an eternal winter. One of those friends who Anna befriends, is Kristoff who has a reindeer and a sleigh instead of a horse and a carriage. A few minutes after Anna's arrival at Elsa's palace, Elsa accidentally strikes her again but this time in the heart. When Anna is taken to trolls by Kristoff, who's his adopted family, they tell her to seek an act of true love. Anna believes her true love is Hans and seeks him for a kiss, like how Kai and Gerda do. But upon arrival to Hans, he turns out to be evil, almost as if he was stuck by the mirrors shard like Kai was in the original telling, and hence leaves Anna to die without a kiss even though he knows it wouldn't have worked anyways. Before Anna's arrival to Hans, he holds Elsa imprisoned but after she escapes she hears Anna's of Anna's death. "The shard in the eye, Kai" Hans attempts to kill Elsa but Anna sees this. At this point Anna can see Kristoff loves him truly rather than Hans but upon seeing her sister accept death she stands before Hans and saves Elsa from Hans as she literally becomes frozen. This was the act of true love that was needed and for the story just as Kai and Gerda's kiss was as it saves the other. And Elsa, realising love is the key, brings back summer in parallel to Kai and Gerda's return to their homes in summer.

Who will thaw Han's cold heart?

In the movie, Hans just gets sent back home to the family he wished to escape from given his traumatic past from the abuse from his father and brothers. As I've said, he's the shard in Kai's heart becoming the cold hearted Kai. Though it would make sense given the sudden change to Hans character, it also doesn't seem like something the trolls would do despite their own magic being capable of messing with minds. It's more of a metaphor to show that just like Kai, he was struck by a "shard" that turned him cold but can be brought back with true love. That shard may not be the trolls magic or a literal/ magical mirror shard but rather metaphoric shard for the stress Hans endures being under pressure from the responsibility of being out in charge. From finding Anna, to finding a solution for Elsa to end this winter, to making sure the people are kept warm etc. Anyone out in charge in the situation Hans was, would for sure feel the stress and end of taking it out on people and saying crazy stuff. So now you wonder who will save him from the cold heart? Given Anna saved Elsa as an act of the unconditional family love, one would now think that Hans' brothers or even father would save him from his, right? But sometimes true love isn't the same for everyone at least not in some circumstances. Elsa and Anna were always close, right from the start. Hans' brothers weren't. With a family of 13 brothers it's expected that some would have different dynamics given being in line with the throne and also given the oldest middle youngest dynamic too and other things would impact too. So what Hans needs is love of an understanding of not being loved and not ever being a monarchy and if you've read my Elsa losing her powers & Hans' Redemption post then you know exactly where I'm going with this. It's Elsa. Want to know why it is? Why would Elsa be the one for Hans, just read this linked post regarding Hans' redemption.

Conclusion

So the point is that the "shard" in 'The Snow Queen' is the metaphor for the anger that Anna feels, fear Elsa feels and stress is what Hans feels. Just as "Fixer Upper" explains, “People make bad choices if they're mad, or scared, or stressed. But throw a little love their way.. and you'll bring out their best. True love brings doubt the best.”. Anna was mad at Elsa for shutting her out and rejecting her marriage proposal. Elsa was scared of hurting Anna and others accidentally. Hans was stressed being in the situation he was being in charge of the kingdom.

As far as the characters compare,

Hans is the mirror shard in Kai's heart and hence the cold hearted Kai - having two faces, genuine and a cold hearted one

Elsa is the Snow Queen and Kai - having the powers of the Snow Queen and having a close bond with the other protagonist

And Anna is Gerda - having the warmest heart and saving their loved one from a cold heart

#disney frozen #frozen #frozen 3 #elsa #elsa of arendelle #Hans #prince hans of the southern isles #hans kristoff anna sven #the snow queen #gerda #kai #helsa #helsa hints

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