'I never felt so alone, wandering in the shadows

Fading to the background, where no one can see

Then you came into my life, giving that spark of light

That's been missing inside of me...'

The day of the visit to the Westergaard's had arrived and Elsa was barely able to convince Anna that she would be alright on her own. It was also a challenge asking for her parents' permission; they had unlimited questions when she asked to borrow Marshall's car for that day. They hadn't known she could drive and it clearly surprised them.

Things were going well within the Dalton household. Even if it was far from perfect, it was a good start. There may be some lingering awkwardness from both sides and Elsa might not have found the courage to live with them again, but it was ultimately easier to be around each other.

Once, during dinner, there was a time her uncle asked how it was going.

"It's going well, I think," she said.

Kai graced her with an affectionate smile and resumed eating the roasted chicken she had set at the table, whereas Olaf jokingly asked, "Should I prepare myself for eating Dad's burnt dishes again?"

That earned him an offended glare from his father and stirred a thought on Elsa. She knew that Olaf was not telling her to move out. He was simply being thoughtful of the future. There would come a time when she would have to go back to her immediate family. Was she ready for that? Perhaps not. Maybe if this progress with her parents would continue, one day, she would be.

The lyrics for the song at the wedding of Hans were progressing as smoothly.

She was on her way to meet him. Again. Out of sheer will. A will that was beginning to crumble.

She wanted to run, to turn a corner and never return. She'd spent more than three hundred sixty-five days trying to avoid this very same guy she was about to see for the second time. The thought of Anna was the only thing stopping her from doing so. Anna had been honest with her from the very beginning. She couldn't lie to Anna anymore after everything that happened.

In the blink of an eye, there appeared a massive gate that stood in her way. It was the biggest gate she had ever seen. That made her panic and seek out her phone, rereading Anna's message to see if she was at the correct address. She was.

Should she send a text? Call? With the shock that came along seeing one property of the redhead, Elsa couldn't find the courage to do any of those. The previous week, she wondered how rich this family was. Now that the answer towered over her in the form of a massive gate, it intimidated her.

"You're already here," she muttered. "You told Anna you already left the house."

With a soft exhale, she shortened the last distance to the gate and looked around until she saw a device similar to a doorbell. It had a speaker. Frowning and spending a few seconds glaring at the thing, she opened the window and pushed the button.

"Yes?"

"Uhm... I-It's Elsa."

The distinct noise of kitchen utensils clattering on the floor was heard over the static. "Hey, wha- She's here! What are you doing?!"

"Liam! Put that down!"

The line ended abruptly after the outburst. Elsa couldn't recognize any of those voices. Although if she could judge with their reaction, she truly was in the right house- mansion?

There was a metallic clink that signaled the opening of the gates.

As soon as it was wide open, she drove towards the huge house for approximately ten minutes.

Her gut twisted in uncomfortable knots as she rounded a massive fountain. Six people standing on the stairs that led to the front doors welcomed her. There were five adults and one child that was around Alice's age. Elsa could feel the signs of hyperventilation coming and forced herself to breathe in and out in a slow and steady pace. The only comfort she had was Anna standing there, stressed as she was.

Aside from the orange-haired guy and the brunette lady who seemed the oldest, everyone was a redhead. The lady who wasn't a brunette had a hair closer to maroon which was a trait the little boy shared, Hans' was of auburn, and Anna's was of strawberry blonde.

Amidst the sea of redheads, Elsa felt out of place.

Had she known that she would be visiting a mansion way more luxurious than any imagination she could conjure up, she could have worn something fancier than the semi-casual outfit she picked out.

"Elsa! Glad you could come." Hans' grin was wide and made his face glow.

"Hans, you're scaring her," said the maroon-haired woman.

"What, I was just greeting her."

Elsa's stomach lurched. She thought she was prepared for this. Apparently, she was not.

"Elsie?" Alice was the only one who ever called her by that name and hearing it from another child surprised her. The boy had big violet eyes and was tugging at her hand, causing her to kneel until she was at his eye level. "Wow." His tiny hands cupped her cheeks. "Big sister, you have pretty eyes!"

"T-Thank you."

"Liam!" Anna gently pulled the boy to her side and nervously glanced at Elsa. "I'm so sorry!"

"No. It's... It's okay." Elsa stood stiffly and squirmed, desperate to avoid the pairs of eyes pinned on her.

"Guys!" Anna hissed.

"Oh wow! They are beautiful," said the orange-haired and muscular guy.

"I agree. I can't believe I didn't notice before! Must be the lighting," Hans murmured.

"Such a lovely color," said the brunette lady whom Elsa assumed was Anna's mother.

"It is! I see why Liam would want to see them from up close," said the woman who chided Hans earlier.

Her mind began to spin round and round, desperate to come up with anything to say. She didn't want to appear socially stunted in front of Anna's family. First impressions were always important!

"Can we go inside?!" Anna suggested, putting herself in front of Elsa and acting as a wall that blocked the upcoming barrage of embarrassing compliments. "You're scaring her!"

"Oh my. Anna's being protective." Anna's mother covered her mouth with a playful giggle.

"First things first. It's nice to meet you, Elsa. The name's Megara. My friends call me Meg and being Anna's girlfriend, you have the right to call me that." Anna gasped and opened her mouth, but was interrupted when Meg continued, "I'm Anna's older sister. This boy here is my son, William."

"I'm her husband, Hercules. Just call me Herc," said the muscular guy.

"And you already know me," Hans said. "But for formality, I'm Anna's one and only brother, Hans."

Before getting a chance to meet him at the studio, Elsa half-expected a scary and serious-looking guy. Someone who was intimidating. In a sense, he was. His first approach when he didn't know who she was was less than friendly. Aggressive, even. When Anna introduced her, that was when his approach changed.

"I'm Anna's mother, Idunn. You can call me Mom." Idunn's comment made Elsa and Anna blush.

"We're glad you were able to come," Meg noted, easing back on the teasing.

"T-Thank you."

"Why don't we come in? It's cozier in there than out here," Hans chuckled.

"I-Is it okay to leave my car there? It might be in the way."

"Anna," Idunn raised an eyebrow at her freckled daughter, "where did you find such a considerate young lady?"

"Mom!"

"We don't mind if you leave it there," Meg answered. "This day is reserved for you."

Elsa's thought process screeched to a halt.

Reserved.

For her.

What did I get myself into?!

She nearly squeaked when something touched her hand. It was Anna's. She was smiling, but the underlying worry in her eyes was clear as a crystal. That gesture forced Elsa to push down her fears. "M-Maybe I should p-park outside?" she asked, stumbling over her words.

"Now, now." Idunn shook her head. "We can't allow that."

"Don't be nervous, Elsa. We don't bite," Meg insisted.

"Let's park it in the garage," Anna offered before giving her family a pointed look. "I think you guys intimidated her with that blatant staring."

"It's not always we get to see that kind of blue in a pair of eyes." Hans' voice lacked the earlier tease, sincerity in its place. Elsa blushed at the comment, unused to having her eyes praised. She'd never thought they were anything special.

"Come on, guys! Let's leave the lovebirds alone," Herc suggested, laughing when Anna glared at him. "Okay, okay. I get it. Go park and we'll wait inside."

Before anyone could grab the chance to tease again, Elsa was dragged back to her brother's car. Anna opened the passenger seat and for a second, Elsa thought she was going to sit in it. To her surprise, Anna gestured for her to go in and insisted to drive.

After securing the car in their massive garage, the redhead sighed. "Sorry about them."

"No, uhm. I'm sorry f-for being awkward." Elsa groaned and covered her face with both hands. Her actions from earlier were starting to sink in and she realized that she made a fool out of herself.

"No, Elsa. They were acting too familiar. I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you tell me you live in a mansion? I-I could have worn something more presentable."

"You look great. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. It's kind of complicated."

"What do you mean?"

Anna avoided her gaze and tapped a finger on the wheel. "I didn't want you to come here because of what I have. I know you said you wanted to meet them, and I believe you. It's just... old habits die hard."

The soft tone used to deliver the statement hit Elsa to the core. She knew since they'd met that Anna had trust issues. This was the first time she was told something close to reason, however, and she had enough emotional experience to piece problems together.

"I know what you see now is intimidating. But we're... we're people too, okay? You don't have to worry. And they love to tease me all the time. I think it's the age difference."

"Anna, your family is beautiful while I'm—"

"You are beautiful, Elsa. My mother and siblings can come off as playful, but they don't lie. When they say that your eyes are beautiful, they mean it. It's also the first thing I noticed when I... when I really looked at you."

The look on Anna's face as she said it stole Elsa's breath away.

Why?

Compliments weren't something Elsa craved for. In fact, she was terrible at receiving them. Ever since Cindy died, thinking that something bad was going to happen when someone complimented her was something she began subconsciously doing. Guilt and apprehension were the two things she tied with praise. But as she was locked on a pair of aquamarine eyes, Elsa wondered.

When was it that she started feeling embarrassed and... happy?

Anna had been panicking that morning and sending messages to Elsa, reminding her that it was absolutely alright if she wouldn't come. Elsa responded the same thing every time, promising that she would be there. When Marshall's car was in sight, Anna had her fingers crossed and prayed that her family wouldn't say anything that could trigger anything about Elsa's past. Or music. Or Frozen Fractals.

Even she knew that was a stretch.

They would ask Elsa questions. Her background, how they met, and how they became close. They were worried about Anna's social life ever since what happened with Vanessa. There was no doubt that questions would be asked. Anna only hoped it wouldn't lead to Hans figuring out that Elsa and Chelsea were one and the same.

"Elsie!" William jumped from his stool and wrapped his tiny arms around the blonde's waist.

The familiarity caught everybody by surprise. William wasn't the type to be comfortable around strangers, and even if Anna was happy he didn't treat Elsa as one, he had only met her.

"Hello again, William." Elsa patted the little boy's head gently.

"Elsie smells vanilla!"

Anna hunched over to be on her nephew's eye level. "Liam, why don't we sit down and eat?"

"Okay!" He let go of Elsa and went back to his seat beside Meg.

Grateful eyes met hers and she quirked a smile. Anna wanted to make Elsa as comfortable as she could. Wishing that her family wouldn't ask questions was useless. That was why, before things get complicated, she wanted to make Elsa feel at home as she had been when she was with the blonde's family.

Lunchtime came and pale hands trembled on tights-clad knees.

"Anna told us that your favorite is Italian cuisine," her mother said.

"Actually, she even helped with cooking these," Meg stated without beating around the bush. "Ariel might have already told you that Anna doesn't cook. It was a real surprise when she asked me a few months ago to teach her."

"Ugh," Anna rolled her eyes, knowing full well of the teasing that was about to come.

"T-That's..." Elsa stuttered.

"Oh, don't be shy, Elsa," Idunn giggled.

"You have no idea how much Mom and Meg wanted to teach Anna how to cook," Hans snorted.

"Then," Elsa's soft voice chimed, "you did a great job teaching her. That ziti she made was delicious."

"It should be. That was her fifth attempt," Meg quipped.

Heat rushed to Anna's cheeks when the blonde turned to her. That wasn't something she wanted Elsa to know.

"I tried to mix it myself, but she insisted on doing the whole thing," Meg smirked.

"Back then, we didn't know about you. We just came to the conclusion and agreed that there might be someone responsible for the sudden interest," Hans said.

"Ariel said you're amazing at it. We should cook together sometime!" The maroon haired woman scrunched her face. "Hmm. Why don't we do it later? I want to taste this food that our dearest cousin said was 'out of this world'."

"W-What?"

Feeling somewhat horrible when a darker shade of red spread over Elsa's normally pale skin, Anna explained, "Mom and Meg are chefs."

At the telltale signs of panic showing on the blonde's mannerisms, Anna realized her mistake. She knew it was possible for her sister to suggest cooking together but she didn't try to stop her. She was confident about Elsa's skills; she knew it wouldn't be a problem. But what if Elsa wasn't ready for something like that? She wasn't used to people praising and expecting something from her!

"We're not going to judge, Elsa," Idunn smiled. "We only want to know you. Maybe if we spend time cooking together, we'd understand each other better."

"P-Please don't expect. I-I'm not p-planning to be a c-chef," Elsa stuttered.

Anna silently thanked her mother and sister when they beamed at the indirect approval. It was a huge blessing that they didn't judge people based on their career choice.

"Hey, no sweat." Herc bit his Stromboli. "Chef or not, I say you're good. If Anna was bloated, I'd say you did a good job."

With the offhand comment, the poor redhead choked on the spaghetti. She grabbed a glass of water and drank, feeling a hand rubbing her back. Upon relaxing, she glanced around the table with her mouth hung agape.

"Ariel told us," Hans confirmed.

"Ugh. I swear I'll get her someday!"

Everyone laughed at her reaction. Hearing Elsa's lovely one, Anna couldn't find the mood to sulk over her cousin's meddling. She'd file that away for some other time. For now, she was contented to see Elsa laughing with her family and beginning to relax even if it was at her own expense.

It was strange to feel welcomed. In spite of the jittery nerves and the looming secret that Elsa had, even if they didn't know, Anna's family was accommodating and did their best to make her comfortable. It wasn't easy, but because they talked a lot, her reservations slowly faded.

"Okay." Hans slid his empty plate aside and placed his arms on the table. "If you don't want to be a chef, does that mean you already have plans for the future?"

About time.

She knew that questions would come one way or another. That was the point of being invited by a family member. When it was Anna who visited their house, her parents asked a deluge of questions, and that was only them assuming the redhead was a friend. Elsa was not clueless as to think that she wouldn't be questioned when Hans specifically said that he was curious about her.

She decided to keep it simple. "I'm into arts."

"Seriously? What kind?"

"Video and... and music," she added as an afterthought. If she was going to stop lying, she might as well start. "My cousin runs a photography studio. He influenced me on cinematography."

"Please tell me it's Frozen Fractals," he said. "You weren't manning the studio by chance, right?"

"Ye... Yes."

"Yes! That studio was the one that covered my proposal for my fiancée last year!"

"Hans is going to get married in three weeks," Idunn informed, and then she looked at her son. "The invitations aren't out yet."

"Oh right!" Hans snapped his fingers. "Elsa, I'd like you to come to my wedding."

"W-What?"

"You're Anna's girlfriend—"

"Friend!" Anna corrected.

"—and I want you to be there!"

"I-Isn't that random?" Elsa fiddled with her fingers underneath the table. "You already have everything planned and there're only three weeks left."

"That's not a problem." Meg grabbed a napkin to wipe her son's face with. "The venue is big and there will be people who'd come even if they're not invited."

People who aren't invited would come? Just who is he?!

"It will be their studio that'll cover my wedding." Hans' smile sent a shiver down her spine. It wasn't unkind, but it looked dangerous. As if he was telling her there was no point coming up with excuses. "The invitations will be done sometime this week. I'll give it to Anna, okay? I'll put in a word to add you to the first batch."

"Wait a sec," Herc piped in. "Your cousin runs Frozen Fractals? Who? Oliver Bjorgman or Senya Sunflower?"

It was then that Elsa remembered why there was a saying 'do not judge a book by its cover,' because as strange as it was, this muscle man was the first to ask the questions she dreaded answering. "Oliver."

"And you're a sophomore, right?" Elsa nodded affirmatively. "Isn't that Oliver's description of Chelsea?"

Hans' eyes widened along with Idunn's and Meg's. At that point, Elsa was already expecting them to ask her if she was the girl. The accusation never came.

Meg eyed Anna curiously. "Did you know?"

"I did," Anna confirmed. "Remember when I said she was hospitalized? I saw Oliver there and he said Elsa is his cousin from his father's side while Chelsea's from his mother."

"Oh."

Once again, Hans gave Elsa his full attention. "Elsa, I know you're not allowed to tell us anything, but we've been trying to track her for more than a year."

"I... do know her."

"Really?" Anna asked, and Elsa wasn't sure if she imagined the slight tremble in her voice.

"Do you mind telling us about her? Just a piece of small information, no matter how insignificant." It was Meg this time.

"Why?"

"Wait, let me," Hans grabbed a phone on top of a nearby table.

Elsa gulped. She knew what she was getting into when she agreed to come. This was it. If she could be honest, maybe the increasing amount of guilt that resulted from keeping this from Anna would subside. Maybe, just maybe, she would actually feel deserving of the girl's affections.

Olaf once told her she didn't need to hold back because her parents wouldn't be able to take this away from her. Even she could start to see that, what with the effort they were putting in to mend their nearly irreparable relationship. She loved music even until now. It would always be a part of her. She was having progress with the lyrics as well. But in her mind, performing, singing, and playing the piano were different things.

"Here."

The video during Hans' and a brunette's—the sister of Ms. Clara, the school nurse, if Elsa remembered correctly—engagement played on the phone that Hans offered. The music was, unsurprisingly, the first piece she ever finished digitally since Cindy's death. The video was edited by Olaf.

"Chelsea was the one who made the music for this." Hans hovered behind Elsa. "I heard it by chance and convinced Senya and Oliver to use it as the background. My fiancée, Belle, also loved it because it made the whole thing more memorable."

"It is," Elsa murmured, making everyone look at her. "C-Chelsea would... try to create something when she's feeling... emotional."

"Exactly! It's because she could convert her feelings well that I want to meet her!"

"W-What?"

"Hans is a music producer," Anna explained. "He's been interested in Chelsea ever since he heard that piece."

"Oliver said she was a fresh graduate in Junior High when she made it," Hans noted, and it set Elsa uneasy. How many times had this guy tried to get information about her? "Isn't that something? A junior high school kid who can make this kind of music!"

This was bad.

Hans' enthusiasm was making Elsa deflate and whatever resolve she had drifted away. Seeing his passion firsthand was intimidating and it was bad for her because she was holding a secret that they wanted to know. She didn't say anything wrong. It was the same as when the rumors about her and Anna dating circulated around the school. None of them confirmed or denied anything.

The difference was, this time, she felt awful for doing it.

In the end, the visit turned out better than Anna anticipated. She was glad that Elsa was able to calm down, at least until Herc asked the question that triggered the whole Chelsea business. Thankfully, the tension that fell on Elsa's shoulders was lifted when Meg and their mother invited her to bake. With Meg being the way she was, it didn't take long before Elsa was in her element.

"Not bad for a first try," Meg said then, flicking her wrist and gesturing to Elsa with the fork. "I can tell you're used to this."

"Thank you," the blonde smiled sheepishly. "I was taught by a childhood friend."

"Pastry chef?"

"Yes."

"You're from Corona, right? I've had a taste of numerous pies there. Blueberry, banana, strawberry... I haven't tried the pumpkin yet, which is a shame. I heard it was the best?"

"It depends on each person, I think. I prefer apple, but I can't do it as well as my friend."

"How good are we talking about?" Idunn wondered. "This is already delicious for your first attempt at Arendellian Red Velvet. Now I'm curious about this apple pie."

"We have the ingredients," Meg announced.

Elsa smiled apologetically and placed a saucer with another slice in front of Anna. "I'm sorry. The fruits that we use in our native pies are grown there."

"And I'm telling you, they're juicier than anything we have here," Anna added, taking a bite of her second serving. She had only watched the entire time they were baking and was endlessly teased by her mother and sister about it.

"That's a shame." Idunn pulled a face. "I'll ask our delivery guys to transport from there. You need to come over again and show us how to do it, okay?"

"Or we can make time and visit Corona," Meg suggested. "I can arrange it after Hans' wedding."

They made Elsa talk. About Corona, the places there, the customs, and the cuisine. Anna happily partook in the conversation, sharing her own opinions and experiences in the place. She could tell that it was a topic that Elsa was glad to have.

"Anna?" Elsa's voice cut through the tranquil silence outside the porch.

"Hmm?"

"You said... Olaf told you about Chelsea?"

Startled, Anna sipped on her mug to gather her thoughts. Were they seriously going to talk about this? "Mhm."

"Why?"

"Uhh... Ariel and I saw you in the library with Rapz before. You were watching a video with the Frozen Fractals logo. Back then, I didn't know that Rapz was working there."

"What does that have to do with Chelsea?"

"Olaf told me once that Chelsea is his cousin and that she was going to be a sophomore this school year," she explained carefully, mindful of her words because she didn't want to sound accusing. "Ariel was curious because you and Rapz fit the age description and were watching that video."

"And...?"

"I went to the studio. Rapz was there and Senya told me she's her sister... which leaves you. I didn't think about it until I saw him in the hospital when you were confined." Anna pressed her fingers firmly on the mug. "I thought you were her."

The questions made Anna apprehensive. This had been a topic she wanted to avoid ever since finding out the truth. To think that even if it was about her, it would be Elsa who would breach the topic.

"How long have you been looking for her?" Elsa asked.

How long... "Fourteen months, I think? To be honest, I forgot about it. The last few months have been eventful and I lost track."

"Do you regret it?" Huge pools of oceanic blues dropped and were followed by a soft murmur. "These last few months?"

"How can I? You were with me the entire time." Silence. "Do you?"

"No." It was a firm, immediate response and for a second, everything about them was fine. For a second. "Will you look for her again?"

Would she? Anna wanted to say that she didn't have to anymore because she already saw her. She already knew where Chelsea was, who she was, and why she was hiding.

Her mind didn't let her.

"Yes."

"Fourteen months," Elsa whispered. "Why were you looking for her that long? Didn't you get tired?"

"I did," Anna confessed. "I wanted to give up. We had no idea who she was even after a whole year. Olaf and Senya never cracked. The only things we knew about her was that she's in high school and Olaf's cousin."

"Then why are you going to continue? You said it yourself, you don't know her. Why are you willing to go that far?"

If only Elsa knew how much she hit the mark at that.

A shudder of air blew past her lips. "Hans is a workaholic and a perfectionist. He's always meticulous and ambitious. He'd rather work alone than to team up with people who could possibly ruin his projects. It's both good and bad for someone who's dealing with other musicians and business people as an everyday routine."

The blonde remained silent, listening to her explanation without any complaints. Anna truly wanted to stop. The only thing that made her think twice about doing it was because Elsa deserved answers. They had been making her life complicated for the past year; it was only fair to have a reason why. Half of her hoped that Elsa would put a stop to this. She didn't want to guilt trip her into admitting anything and, frankly, she didn't want Elsa to tell her anything either.

If that happened, the dreaded choice had to be made.

Elsa or Hans.

"He never asked for help, and when he came up to me after two months of being engaged, asking if I could help him look for this girl, I couldn't say no." Anna leaned her forearms on the railings. "My brother, whose pride was higher than Mount Everest, came to me and asked for help for the first time ever. I didn't want to disappoint him."

Please don't say anything.

"If... If you find her, what then?"

"I don't know." That was true on many levels. Anna wouldn't know what to do then. She kept silent this whole time because it was easier. "He wanted her to play in his wedding. If we can't find her then, he said it wouldn't stop him from keeping up the search."

Anna hoped that raised a huge warning flag that could prevent Elsa's swirling thoughts and drive to possibly tell her the truth. With the way this conversation flowed, she could only hope it took a detour from what she was already starting to see as the outcome.

The sleeve of her sweater was tugged hard and there, Elsa was, eyes hidden behind her fringes. "C-Can I be honest with you?"

No.

It was Anna's first instinct. To deny Elsa that right. The selfish side of her hoped this day would never come. How unfair was that? No, that wasn't right. It would be terrible for her to stop Elsa from saying anything when the only thing she wanted for the past few months was for the girl to open up.

"Elsa, you can always be honest with me." Anna nearly choked out the words. "What is it?"

Her heart broke into pieces when watery pearls rolled down those cheeks. The world around them blurred until only the two of them and their conflicting emotions intermingled. It was plain as day that this was difficult for the blonde, and Anna wanted her to stop because it was hurting them both. She wanted to tell Elsa it was alright, that she knew, and that she didn't need to say anything else.

But just like the other times that she noticed Elsa was having a difficult time, she remained tight-lipped.

"That's my song."

Because she was scared.

Merry Christmas to everybody! I hope you're enjoying this season, wherever you are! This is my last update for Silhouette this 2017 and I'll see you all next year! :D

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