Chapter Five

Kristoff held Anna's lips against his own for as long as she permitted him to while simultaneously brushing his thumbs against her warm, tear-stained cheeks. There was no urgency, only slow, sensual passion as he attempted to pour every ounce of his heart and soul into the kiss, praying she could feel all of the things he couldn't bring himself to say. For a while, she even kissed him back – reluctantly at first, but she soon relaxed in the familiarity of his touch and caress.

She just as quickly pulled her face from his, but he held her body close, pressing his forehead against hers and keeping her in place.

"Anna, please..."

"Kristoff-"

"Please don't go," he choked out. "Please. I'm so sorry."

"Kristoff-"

"Stay with me. Please, Anna."

"Why? So you can push me away again?" she asked. "No. I've had enough of being let down by people I care about. People I thought cared about me."

"I do care about you, Anna, more than you'll ever know," Kristoff pleaded. "I thought I was doing you a favor by asking you to leave. I know now that was foolish, but-"

"Doing me a favor? You consider it a favor to abandon me?"

"It wasn't meant to be like that! It's just..." he stopped momentarily and sighed, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. "Anna, I've seen the way the other men look at you at the palace galas. Princes, Dukes, Earls... they're all noblemen, and they all think the world of you."

"If you noticed that, then surely you noticed how indifferent I am to all of them?" Anna demanded. "Yes, I dance with them out of obligation. I make polite conversation. But who's the only person I've ever left the ballroom with? You! It's you who I allow to walk me to the bottom of the stairs and kiss me good night before I retreat to my chamber. Does that not count for anything, Kristoff?"

"Of course it does, but Anna... I just worried that eventually one of them would strike your fancy, alright? I've been terrified of that happening, of being cast off in favor of someone better suited for you than I."

"I wouldn't-"

"I understand now how absurd that was, but I truly thought I was helping you out by removing myself entirely. I was trying to help myself as well, if I'm being entirely honest."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember when you said it took a lot for you to let yourself get close to me?" When she nodded, he continued. "That's true for me as well. There's a reason I spent all my time alone, Anna. I didn't want to risk getting close to anyone, not even as friends, because relationships mean feelings and feelings make you vulnerable. I've seen enough people get hurt or into trouble because of such things, and I didn't want to put myself at risk for it, too. But you... well, you went ahead and tossed that bag of supplies into my lap and ruined me forever."

Anna's nose crinkled as new hurt clouded her eyes, and Kristoff quickly grabbed her shoulders.

"I didn't mean it like that!" he amended. "I'm sorry. I was just... trying to lighten the mood, I guess. You didn't ruin me, just my knack for being a loner, and that's a good thing."

"That's all fine and well, but here you were tonight, reverting back to how you used to be."

"And I told you why," Kristoff said. "Right thing to think or not, the fact of the matter is that I was genuinely scared of you leaving me maybe not right away, but eventually. Happy as I am now with you, I couldn't bear the thought of having to endure that. That's why I tried to push you away, Anna – not because of any fault on your part, but because I've been so terrified of facing the reality that you don't love me the way I love you. Maybe that was selfish of me, but-"

He stopped immediately upon realizing what he'd just allowed to roll off his tongue. At first, he marveled at how easy it had actually been to say, not to mention how natural it felt to tell her. But if his feelings alone didn't make him vulnerable, admitting love certainly did, and Kristoff could already feel its negative effects. Anna was staring at him in disbelief, mouth hanging slightly open and eyes wide.

He wanted to crawl under a rock and die.

"What did you say?" she squeaked after a while.

It hit him like a punch to the groin. Anna didn't love him back. Surely she would have said so if she did, right? After all, Kristoff had taken the leap, throwing himself out in the open without a shield or a weapon. She had nothing to fear by sharing her own feelings, if any, and with each passing second she didn't reciprocate, Kristoff felt like more of a fool.

Every nerve in his body told him to get of there before she had the chance to hurt him even more, but he ignored them. Instead, he discarded all rational thought, deciding to listen to his heart which still, for some reason, had a glimmer of hope. Kristoff took Anna's hands into his shaking ones and took a deep breath before speaking again.

"I love you, Anna," he confessed. "I know I've said some downright stupid things this evening that might make you believe otherwise, but I love you. I know I'm nothing special. I'm only a commoner and I have nothing to offer you, but I can honestly say I'm a better person because of you. Ever since I met you, I've looked forward to waking up in the morning because life actually began to mean something. I've never had that before, Anna. You make me see the good in world when all I used to see was a horrific place filled with awful people. But you... you're everything. You're beautiful and kind and caring and selfless, and meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me."

By the end of his speech, fresh tears were pooled in Anna's eyes, and she continued to stare at him without saying a word. That last hopeful spark in his heart was quickly extinguished. Kristoff dejectedly looked away from her as finally, for the first time that night, he could feel his own tears begin to form, and he refused to let her see.

"You win," he managed to say without his voice cracking. "I'll... I'll ride with you back to the palace, okay?"

He let go of her hands and turned away. His chest was tight and his entire face stung with the effort of resisting the urge to cry, making the short walk to the cabin's front door feel like an eternity. Kristoff intended for this ride down to Arendelle to be the last time he'd ever help anyone. He'd see Anna to safety and return, as she'd said, back to his old ways. He'd never allow this sort of pain to enter his life ever again.

But just as he touched the doorknob, he felt her hand on his shoulder.

"Say it again," Anna whispered.

He turned to her, eyes narrowed in a futile attempt to conceal his agony and shame.

"What?"

And then, Kristoff witnessed magic - real, raw, utterly beautiful magic: Anna smiled.

"Say it again," she repeated, lips curled and eyes twinkling through unshed tears.

Kristoff smiled, too, but cautiously. She still hadn't matched his feelings, but she was smiling. She was happy. She wasn't asking to leave anymore.

"I love you," he breathed. "Anna, I love you so much."

"Oh, Kristoff, I love you, too!"

She both laughed and cried as she threw herself into his embrace, burying her face into the crook of his neck. Kristoff nuzzled his nose against her hair and inhaled her scent between kisses. Her tears of joy rolled onto his skin, and though they made him itch after a while, he didn't care because she loved him. He loved her. They were in love, and nothing else mattered.

And the feeling... it was beyond anything he could have ever imagined. He'd been so scared to let love in, to put his heart on the line in such a fashion. He thought it would destroy him, but it was the complete opposite. There was warmth radiating throughout him, almost as if his heart exploded and leaked euphoria into his blood and bones. It reached his knees and weakened them in the most pleasant way and his mind felt as if it might cave in under the happiness, yet he'd never felt stronger.

"Kristoff... you're my best friend," Anna said. "You make me feel safe and special, and when you look at me, you see me. You see Anna, not the princess, and I've never once had that in my life. You accept me for who I am, and I love you for that. I love you for you, and you're my world."

"So you'll stay?"

"Of course I'll stay!" she laughed.

They snuggled up beside the hearth together in the giant blanket Kristoff had given Anna earlier. Anna sat between Kristoff's legs and leaned back against his chest while he wrapped his arms around her middle from behind. They kissed and talked, talked and kissed, said nothing, then kissed some more, all with declarations of love scattered effortlessly throughout the evening.

When they both felt their eyes begin to grow heavy, Kristoff guided Anna to the bedroom. He lifted back the covers for her and she slid right in.

"Hmm," she hummed.

"Oh, stop. I know it's not the most comfortable bed. You're used to much better."

"I really do like it. It's cozy."

"Well, thank you."

Kristoff pressed his lips to hers, the kissed her nose, both cheeks, and forehead.

"Good night, Anna. I love you."

"Good n- wait, you aren't staying?"

Kristoff shook his head. Out of respect, he planned to sleep in the other room, right outside the door in case she required anything. When he told her this, she nodded.

"Oh, okay," she conceded. He thought she sounded disappointed, but he didn't dwell on it. "Good night, then. I love you."

He gave her hand a final squeeze before making his way to the sitting room.

"Kristoff?"

"Yes?" he asked, turning back to her.

"Will you sleep with me?"

Kristoff's jaw dropped open and his eyes darted around the room, looking at everything but her. Had she really just said that?

"Um..."

"That's not what I meant! I mean, I'd like to...eventually... but not now... someday, if you want... we could... oh, shut up, Anna," she muttered, deep crimson blush creeping across her face. "I just meant I'd like it if you'd be willing to sleep, just sleep, in here tonight, if that's okay? If you could stay with me, I... well, I'd like that very much."

A soft smile spread across Kristoff's face. She nibbled on her lower lip as she awaited his response, and the way she gazed at him intently was beyond adorable. He was humbled by her request, and a bit flattered, too. Sharing sleep was such an intimate thing that required much trust, and Kristoff was blessed to be the one she felt safe with.

"Okay."

Kristoff slipped beneath the blankets beside her, and though he'd never shared a bed with anyone before, he instinctively knew what to do. He wrapped his arms securely around Anna and pulled her close until her head was against his chest. She sighed contently as she settled into the curve of his body. She was a perfect fit.

"This is nice," she murmured.

"Mm," he agreed.

And it wasn't just the comfort of sharing a night together, but it was everything. Everything about it was nice. It was the way the beautiful girl in his arms loved him and wanted to be close to him. He never thought he'd know such a wonderful feeling, yet here it was, here she was: Anna, the only one who mattered, and she wasn't going anywhere.

"Anna?" Kristoff whispered, just before sleep took over entirely.

"Hm?"

"If I can help it, you're never going to feel alone or abandoned again."

He felt Anna smile against his chest.

"Promise?"

He squeezed her shoulder and pressed his lips softly against her forehead.

"I promise."

Kristoff had never been more sure of anything in his life.

Author's Note: Finito! :D Thanks so much to all who have read, reviewed, favorited, and alerted. It means a lot to me and I sincerely hope you enjoyed it!

I'm planning an extension to this. I almost tacked it on as a final chapter, but it's actually a stand-alone moment and has little to do with the overall conflict presented here. That said, I figured it'd be better suited as it's own one-shot. Keep an eye out for it!

Again, thanks to all of you for reading!