Chapter Text
When the end of the world happened, it happened suddenly, and all at once. There were no people on the street screaming bloody murder about the end times, no men in tin hats, no fires, the earth didn't cave in under their feet. In fact for most people, it was just a usual Thursday, weekend plans were being made and everyone was looking forward to the joys and relief Friday would bring. Most people were feeling this way, atleast, this last sense of normality that the world begs for now. Not Anne Boleyn though.
Well, that's not entirely true. All things considered, Anne's last day before the world ends was actually normal in most ways. It was about twelve in the afternoon, the day overcast as most days in London are, large threatening grey clouds shielding the sun, almost denying the people beneath it a last happy day under its warmth. Her hair tied up in its usual space buns, a favourite for the Boleyn girl for many years, and kept in their place even after the world went to hell. Her car is stuck in traffic, the universe laughing at them as they complain over this trivial but necessary task, thinking to itself, "Are you unhappy right now? Just wait and see what misery is in store for you." These things, they were normal everyday things that Anne expected and loved in her own way. What wasn't normal was her cousin Katherine Howard sitting next to her in the passenger seat, still in her school uniform, with a square white bandage under her left eye. No, that was new.
Katherine had always been quite shy, and not particularly outspoken. She opted to listen, jumping into conversations when she was needed in her own timid and quiet way. That didn't mean she couldn't be as loud and passionate as her cousin, in fact, Anne treasured the moments when Katherine started the conversation first to talk about whatever was interesting her most, her voice raising an octave with awe as her hands flapped around to make excited gestures.
(These conversations always ended in Katherine smiling sheepishly and withdrawing, "Sorry, got a bit carried away there." Everytime she ended the conversations this way, and everytime Annes heart broke. Knowing that this need to apologise stemmed from people shrugging noncommittally, or telling her to shut up about her beautiful passions. Anne wanted to kick and scream at these people, but opted for gently taking her cousins hand and telling her, "Never apologize to me. I'll always listen, I promise.")
One could imagine Annes surprise then, when she got a call at work from her cousin's school asking if she could come pick Katherine up.
"What's happened? Is she alright?", Anne said in a concerned tone, mind immediately fearing for the worst. It felt as though she had just waved goodbye to her cousin as she left their flat like a hurricane after waking up late, rushing out the door with an energy bar clasped tightly in one hand to get to her bus on time.
Oh God, what if that chicken I fed her for dinner last night was off and she's sick, or what if something happened on the way to school and she's hurt, what if someone raised their voice at her and she had a panic attack and I wasn't there to hold her and help her breathe through it and she's stopped breathing altogether-
"Katherine's gotten into a fight." The office administrator interrupted Annes spiralling bluntly, and her heart skipped a beat. Imagining Katherine in a fight was something so out of this world that Anne struggled to process this information for a bit, thinking of Kit, fists raised and eyes dark was something unfamiliar and scary.
"... Miss Boleyn? Are you still there?"
"Yes! Yes I'll be right there. Tell her-" Anne faltered for a moment as she struggled to think of words that could comfort her cousin.
"Tell her not to worry, and I'll be as quick as I can."
Anne almost broke the road laws multiple times in her haste to get to Katherine, and when she arrived to the schools main office (Anne grimacing at its bleak look and feel, empty wooden walls barren of anything that could give her cousin some comfort or reassurance) she was briefed on the situation quickly and how, "fighting, as you know, is not tolerated here" and that "Miss Howard will be suspended for a week, and must write an apology letter to the victim." Finally, she was pointed to a hallway, where Katherine sat on what looked to be a very uncomfortable wooden chair. Her face was hidden from Anne with her head turned down to the navy blue carpet, her bubblegum pink hair covering her face in whisps hanging from her usual ponytail.
(Oh, how Kat had begged for Anne to let her dye her hair that colour.
"Please, Annie?" She had asked as she held the box up to her, a woman on the cover with bright pink hair and pale clear skin.
"I'll never ask you for anything ever again! I'll do the washing up by myself for a month, I'll take the rubbish out even when it's dark and scary, I'll always remember to do my homework without you reminding me. Please, please, please, please!"
Really, how could Anne refuse with an offer like that?
And when Kat forgot to take the rubbish out later that night, Anne never said a word.)
Looking at her cousin sitting there, looking lonely, tense, and miserable, it tore Anne to pieces.
"Kitty…"
Katherine doesn't look up at the nickname, just continues to look to the floor, picking slightly at the cotton baubles on her scratchy school jumper.
Anne opted to crouch down in front of her, trying to meet her eye line.
"Hey Kit-Kat. I've come to take you home, ok?"
Anne remembers how Katherine hadn't even looked up let alone responded to her when she said that, just slid off the chair to grab the bright pink (slightly scruffy from years of use) bag at her feet, and walked past Anne and out the door to her car parked outside. Silent all throughout, and silent now.
Anne looked over worriedly at her cousin, sitting with her arms crossed defensively next to her and looking dejectedly out the window, If Anne focused enough she could almost see Kats sorrow filled face reflected in the window.
"Whew, would you look at these clouds Kit, no doubt they're gonna fill up with rain any second now." Anne's tone was light as she tried desperately to claw at some sort of conversation, anything to get her cousin's mind off whatever happened.
"Lucky I came to get you, huh? I hated spending the day at school when it rained. That dampness goes straight to your bones and makes you feel horrible all day, don't you think?"
Still the car stayed silent with the absence of Anne's words.
"Kitty?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. I guess so." Katherine finally looks up at her, and immediately Annes heart breaks for her. Kat's eyes were sunken deep and red, Anne released a sad sigh.
"Oh, Kit. You look exhausted." Anne reaches over to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear as Katherine shrugs, looking out the window once more.
"Don't you want to know what happened?" Katherine's words come out in a slightly rushed and bitter manner, "Why I ruined your day by making you come get me?"
Anne shook her head, "Not if you're not ready to tell me Kit. And hey," Anne takes her hand off the steering wheel again to grasp Katherine's hand in hers, off handedly wishing they weren't in her old beat up car having this conversation.
"You will never ruin my day when it comes to something like this, whenever you need me I'll be there, I promised you that, remember?"
(Annes mind drifts off slightly to the day she finally got custody of Katherine, looking at her cousin's scrawny figure and tangled hair, a blank expression on her face as she's told she gets to live with Anne now. She remembers feeling an overwhelming urge more than ever to protect and provide for her cousin, so she never had to see her look this broken again. Anne remembers whispering promises in her ear of a better life, while Katherine clutched at the back of her shirt, almost as if she thought holding her any less tight would make Anne leave. That urge is still just as strong, even now, three years later. She just hoped that Katherine, deep down, is happier now than she was since then.)
Eventually, Katherine nods, and Anne smiles.
"Okay. Okay, that's good." Anne releases the breath she was holding and glances back at the road, waiting for any sign of movement. She desperately wanted to get Kat home, but the traffic continued to be relentless. After a moment's silence, Kat speaks up again.
"There was this guy, a senior, he-", Anne watched as Katherine took her hand from Annes hold and wrung her hands in her lap, licking her lips.
"He was spreading those rumors again."
Annes jaw clenches for a second, remembering the day Katherine had ran into her arms when she asked her how school was going, sobbing and between gasping breaths telling Anne about the relentless bullying she had been experiencing at school.
(It reminded Anne too much of her own high school experience, being called a slut by people she didn't even know in the halls, how people had sniggered and talked behind her back about how she was the school whore, how she would do anything you asked her to if you got her drunk enough.)
It sickened Anne to her stomach knowing Katherine was going through the same thing she did, how badly she had wanted to give everyone in that school a piece of her mind, but she had pushed all those thoughts down quickly after being brought back to the present by Katherine's desperate sobs, soothing her as best she could.
Anne lets herself be grounded by her cousin's presence again, nodding her head at Katherines words.
"I understand, you got angry, and rightfully so." Anne paused, trying to find the right words.
"You've worked so hard to deal and move on from these things Kat, and I know you know that. We'll make a plan to deal with this too, I promise."
She moved to place her hand atop Katherine's head, smoothing down stray hairs. Just as soon as she did this, Katherine jerked her head away from Annes touch;
"No! I-" Katherine's shoulders were held tightly up to her ears, as she sputtered out words that were desperate to be heard.
"They weren't just rumors about me, but-", Katherine looks up, tears in her eyes threatening to escape at any moment.
"He said things about you, too." Katherines voice cracked as tears started to dribble and fall from her eyes. "He said you were forced to take me in, how you could never really want me, and how I'm a disappointment, and how deep down you can't wait 'til I'm eighteen and move out and how-"
Anne stopped Katherines blubbering words by quickly holding the girl to her chest, letting her whimper and sob as she clung to Anne. Anne didn't shush her, just rubbed her back soothingly, tracing shapes and patterns. Although their position was slightly uncomfortable (again, Anne wishes they were having this conversation anywhere but here) she tries her best to comfort her cousin.
"I'm so sorry you had to hear all that Kitty, I can't imagine how angry and upset you must have felt, and still feel now." Annes voice was soft and thick with understanding, and she pressed a kiss to Kats hairline, as she sniffled and nodded.
"But listen to me," Anne's tone was stern but not strict as she tilted her cousin's head up with a finger under her chin to make her look Anne in the eyes, making sure she hears these words soundly.
"What he said, none of it's true. None. Do you know how happy I was when I finally got to take you home? I was buzzing all day, knowing that when I picked you up I would get to see your face every morning after that." Anne smiles at the memory, and she chokes up her words a bit with fondness.
Annes voice returns to its softness as she composes herself, "It was always my choice to have you. Always."
Katherine looks into her eyes silently for a moment, before nodding and smiling shyly. And as soon as Anne saw that, she knew she had to get a bigger smile out of her.
"And how could I be disappointed in you? Your grades are stellar, you have the most beautiful voice, and everyday I find something new to be impressed with." Anne said with a grin.
Katherine gave an embarrassed smile and a quiet "Hhhhhh" at Annes admission, burying her head into her chest again as Anne chuckled.
Katherine's slightly muffled voice came a second later, "Okay, you can stop with the compliments now."
Anne gasped dramatically, and put on a silly voice, "How can I stop when I know such impressive things about my dear cousin Katherine Howard, who can eat fifteen chocolate digestives in a row and not get sick. You expect me not to shout that from the rooftops, miss Howard?"
Katherine pushed herself out of Anne's hold laughing loudly, bending over and clutching her stomach, and Anne grinned at the sight and sound. When Kat calmed down, Anne reached over to wipe away the tear tracks on her cousins cheeks with her thumb, and kissed her forehead with a loud smack, making Kat giggle some more.
Anne looked back to the road, noticing that the traffic was finally starting to move and they were getting closer to the intersection that would lead them to the road their flat was on.
"Y'know," Anne started, smirking to herself, "I think in our freezer there just might be a pint of someone's favourite ice cream." Her tone rising in a sing-song voice near the end. She heard an excited gasp next to her, and knew without even looking next to her that her cousin was fully alert, an eager grin overtaking her face.
(In all honesty, it was a miracle that Anne had managed to hide the strawberry ice cream from her. Katherine's sweet tooth was relentless, oftentimes waking her up in the night as she heard her cousin swipe something sweet from the kitchen. It had scared the hell out of her the first time, thinking someone was robbing the place, Anne had made her way to the kitchen with the baseball bat she kept under her bed heavy in her hands. Only to be met by Katherine illuminated by the fridge light in the dark helping herself to another slice of cake they had enjoyed for dessert that night. She didn't exactly encourage the midnight snacks, but when she found her there she always joined her for a chat, making sure it wasn't nightmares keeping her awake.)
This time, it was Katherine who took Annes hand in hers.
“Thanks, Annie.” She said softly with a small smile, eyes glistening.
Anne smiled back, and squeezed Katherines hand as the traffic moved ever forward to the intersection,
"My pleasure Kitty, we'll get that into you, snuggle up on the couch with a few episodes of Drag Race, and everything will be alright."
Looking back at this moment, Anne wishes she hadn't spoken so soon. Wishes she had held her cousin's hand just a bit tighter, for just a bit longer, in this normal world they both knew and loved so much.
Because as soon as the words came from her mouth and she turned into the intersection, a car came speeding out of nowhere, crashing into the right side of Anne's car.
And it was all over.