Life in San Fransokyo

Cold Comfort Part 2

"Do you want to talk about it?" Anna asked after a few minutes, having moved to sit cross-legged beside her.

"I dreamed about Mama and Papa, and Tadashi," she began. "I can't...they were all at the SFIT Expo building. It was on fire, and they were shouting for me to rescue them. I tried to run to them, but I couldn't because ice formed over my feet, trapping me in place. I also tried to shoot flurries to kill the fire, but nothing came out—just this pathetic puff of air. Then..." she gulped hard, gathering the strength to continue. "Then this wall of fire just sprang up between me and them. It...it must have burned them away, because I heard them screaming. It was—oh, Anna," she buried her face on her sister's shoulder, willing the image away.

Anna enfolded her into a comforting embrace, making soft shushing sounds to help her calm down. "It was just a dream, Elsa," she murmured. "Just a dream. It can't hurt you, and I'm here, okay?"

She was quiet for about a minute, letting Elsa cry it out. "This is serious," Anna said. "I think I'd better extend my stay here, if you're having such bad nightmares."

Elsa raised her head and looked at Anna incredulously. "You can't miss school," she pointed out. "You've almost spent your entire school break here in San Fransokyo. We can't be both here for long—someone has to go back and keep tabs on things, now that Weaseltown's gone."

"But—"

"Go home, Anna," she insisted gently. "I can't because Tadashi needs me right now. With Weaseltown in prison we don't have an interim CEO for Nordfjellet. Kai will guide you in choosing the right one. And I'm not pushing you away or shutting you out, I'm being practical," she forestalled her sister. "Believe me, I want you to stay with me. I need you, Anna, but at some point I need to be strong on my own, too."

Anna let out an irritated sigh. "I wish you'd quit being a martyr," she muttered. "You've been strong for so long, Elsa. Thirteen years—and what had that brought you? Nothing but a buttload of hurt," she argued.

"I know," Elsa replied ruefully. "But something tells me that whatever I've endured before will help me now. Tell you what—I promise to call you immediately if there are any problems, okay?"

"If you're sure..."

"I'm positive."

Footsteps from the staircase brought her back to the present. "Sorry," Aunt Cass apologized as she grabbed Elsa in a hearty hug. "Customers—they're crazy. I've got an hour and a half for dinner break and then it's back to the madness." She pulled back and fussed over her, asking if she'd eaten dinner already.

"Not yet, Aunt Cass," Elsa replied, smiling. She knew the boys' aunt had come to look upon her as an adopted daughter. "Although I may be persuaded if you whipped up those spicy chicken wings that could...how did you put it? Melt my face off?"

"You're in luck, then, because that's exactly what we're having!"

"If that's what we're having, I'll pass," a flat voice cut through their conversation.

The three of them—Elsa, Hiro, and Aunt Cass—swiveled their heads toward the source of the voice. Tadashi. He stood by the stairs that led up to his and Hiro's room, looking like a wreck with his hair disheveled and two days' growth of stubble darkening his cheeks and chin. He wore a loose, long-sleeved T-shirt and baggy sweatpants which hid most of his burn scars, though a part of it crept up the left side of his neck and the underside of his jaw. Elsa noted that the progress of his healing skin grafts were going well, even though the affected area was still an alarmingly angry red.

Tadashi’s jaw was clenched and his eyes were narrowed into glaring slits. Aunt Cass remained serene under his angry scrutiny. "That's too bad, Tadashi," she replied, heading toward the kitchen. "But I'll leave some for you in case you change your mind." She passed him by and patted his shoulder. Though he tried to hide it, Elsa saw he almost shook Aunt Cass's hand off.