Elsa leaned back in her chair, sipping at a Long Island iced tea as her other hand received a manicure. It's been way too long since I did something like this. I needed it. Anna, on the other hand, seemed even more tense than earlier. Elsa studied her sister as she sipped the drink. She'd barely said a word the entire day. She hadn't even met her eyes on the way there. I'd been so certain that this was what she needed, but maybe I was just projecting. Maybe I should get her another present, something more practical. "Everything okay?" she asked again.

Anna nodded, her eyes trained solely on the woman performing her manicure. "Of course. Why do you ask?"

"You've just seemed really anxious."

"I'm just not used to leaving Olaf alone for so long," she insisted.

It didn't alleviate Elsa's doubts, but she dropped it. "Kristoff has him today anyway. Maybe the massages in a bit will help relax you a little more."

She was answered with another nod.

Did I say something wrong? She wasn't like this yesterday. Did I do something awful at the dinner party? I do have a bad track record with those. Maybe Giselle is mad at me and Anna is trying to resist talking to me about it? "I had a great time yesterday. It was nice finally meeting your friends. I'm happy to know that my sister is in good hands."

This seemed to relax her a little. Elsa chewed on her lip as she tried to work out the source of Anna's peculiar behavior. "I'm glad. Giselle seems to be really fond of you." She looked as if she was going to say more, but she promptly clamped her mouth shut and stared even harder at the manicurist.

So it is something about her. "So I did make a good impression? I was worried, I'm not always the most likable person."

This was enough to draw Anna's gaze. A look resembling terror lit up her teal eyes as they met Elsa's. "You're an amazing person! Anyone that doesn't like you would have to be insane. They should be institutionalized. I don't know who would have told you something like that, but you need to know that you're absolutely wonderful, and that Tiana is lucky to have you. If only she acted like it."

Her gaze dropped again, leaving Elsa to grasp at her sister's words. What did she mean by that? "How does she not act like it?" Is that what's going through her mind? Did something happen with Tiana and she's been scared to bring it up to me? "You mean because she flirts so much. She's just playing around."

"It's more than that!" Anna almost screamed. The manicurist stopped mid-stroke to look up at her.

Elsa motioned her own away and turned to fully face her sister. "Give us a minute, girls."

Anna and Elsa were left alone in their bathrobes and recliners, Anna nervously sipping at her drink as she stared at her. Elsa could practically see her trying to work up the nerve to say whatever she needed to say. Something really did happen. Did Tiana make another move on her?

"She's just so angry." That was not what Elsa had been expecting. "She doesn't act like she respects you at all. The way she treats you, I just hate to see anyone do that to you. I – no one should ever treat you like that."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Elsa insisted. "She and I have always been pretty healthy. I know she can be a bit serious at times, but hell, she's probably the nicer between the two of us."

"That's certainly not what I've seen. I didn't want to say anything, I know it's not my place, but yesterday just really bothered me. She was being so awful." Anna rose from her chair, crossed the two feet to her sister, and folded her hands before her, beseeching her understanding.

"Anna, you have to be more specific. Do you have any examples? As far as I've seen, she's just been her normal self. A little more flirty than usual now that there are redheads everywhere, but I've never felt in any way mistreated by her. She loves me. Hell, I don't think anyone else has ever loved me as much as she does."

Anna visibly swallowed. "You really don't see it? The flirting is bad enough, but she snaps at you over every little thing, she belittles your opinions, she treats you like you're less than her. Hell, just look at how she acted when you got that fast food."

Elsa narrowed her eyes, shaking her head slowly. "I don't know what you're talking about. She definitely can go a bit overboard with her food sensibilities, but she's certainly not been cruel."

"She was treating you like an idiot!" Tears threatened to spill from Anna's eyes. This is for real. What is she seeing that I'm not?

"Maybe you just don't know her well enough. I'm sure some people would see it that way, but she really isn't. She's just so passionate about food that she can come off as rather callous to anyone else's thoughts on that matter. She's a genius, they tend to all act like that."

"You're more of a genius than she could ever be."

Elsa set her drink down and stood to meet her sister, grasping her hands in an attempt to reassure her. "I promise, Tiana is doing nothing to mistreat me. She's been a little highstrung, but I think you're just misreading her. Maybe we could all talk about this."

Anna's eyes found hers again. And here I was freaking out because she wouldn't look at me. "I just want to know that you're safe, that you're with someone who treats you well. Maybe I've just been being –" she hesitated, looking for words, "overprotective, but I want to make sure that everything is good for you. I love you, Elsa, you mean so much to me, and if you're sure that I'm wrong, then I must be, you know her better than I do, just promise me you won't let her take advantage of you."

"You don't have anything to worry about."

"Please just promise."

Elsa sighed. "Okay, Anna. I promise. Now, since we've addressed what was weighing on your mind, can we please just enjoy our spa day together?"

Anna continued to search her eyes for a few moments before she must have found something that satisfied her and she nodded. "All right. I'm sure it's nothing, let's just get all pampered and pretty."

Elsa searched back, desperate for a hint that she'd actually convinced Anna of her safety with Tiana. She still saw exactly what she'd seen in so many witnesses – she was hiding something. Unfortunately, I was the one to insist that we drop it, so I can hardly keep digging. But I have time, maybe she'll let something slip before long. She never was too great at keeping secrets from me.

Rather than relive how she had discovered Anna's initial relationship with Kristoff, Elsa drained the rest of her drink, threw herself into her chair, and called for the staff. Kristoff was as much in the past as he could ever be, and she would not let him darken their day.

As the manicurists resumed work on their nails, Elsa began to relax again. Maybe Tiana has been a little weird of late, but I know Anna is overreacting and hopefully now that she's said her piece she'll be able to relax and enjoy this. Glancing over to her sister, Elsa's hopes were realized. Anna looked substantially more content than she had before their chat. "I'm really glad I can share this with you. We never really did any of this bonding stuff we should have done when we were younger. It just feels great to finally get to relax with you."

Another glance revealed that Anna's face had colored. Elsa simply could not wrap her head around her little sister's behavior of late. She insists that I haven't done anything, and that it's not about my confession, so what is going on? Is she just handling the divorce worse than she acts like she is? I know that it can be difficult, no matter how necessary it may be. I've seen plenty of clients go through it before. Even starting to resent me for it. But I wasn't her attorney! Elizabeth was. So why would she be taking that out on me? I at least hope that she's not starting to regret it. Elsa forced the words out before she could second guess them. It was almost certainly a stupid question, but she needed to assuage her fears. "You are still glad you got the divorce right? It really was the best choice."

Anna blinked at her, the color draining from her face. "Of course! What are you talking about? We had already been over for years."

Swallowing, Elsa decided to accept her sister at her word. Just drop it. You can grill her later, you're at a spa, and the only one making things awkward is you. "I'm glad. I just never want to even indirectly be the cause of any pain for you."

Anna took a sip of her mojito, her smile slowly regaining its hold upon her face. Maybe it is all in my head. Just like Tiana's behavior is in Anna's. We just want something to be wrong, because we're not used to the alternative. "Thank you, Elsa. I know, but it still means a lot to me to hear it. I think I kind of needed that."

Ouch. "I promise, Anna. You'll always come first for me. Even over Tiana, you're my baby sister, and I'm never going to let you think that I don't care again. Hell, if I had just made it clear in the first place, we wouldn't have had that falling out - though that part was also my fault." Wow, all that time telling my clients to never admit fault and here I am owning up to everything.

Elsa's manicurist set down the bottle of polish to examine her work. Anna's wasn't quite there yet. Despite this, Anna waved her aside again, dabbing the heel of her hand at her eye.

Maybe sentimental doesn't suit me. I just upset her more. Elsa started to rise, not quite certain what she was planning. "Anna, wait."

"No, it's nothing. I just have to pee."

Does that normally make you cry? Elsa resisted asking. She wasn't sure what was going on with her sister, but clearly pushing wasn't helping. At least I can be pretty confident that Moana hasn't knocked her up.

Her nails were dry by the time Anna had returned, her eyes red and puffy despite the water she'd clearly splashed on her face. She'll tell you when she's ready. Elsa remained silent as the manicurist finished Anna's nails.

Fortunately, the massage seemed to relax both of them. In their mud baths following their massages, Elsa caught Anna beaming at her, conjuring a responding grin. She had missed her sister so very much, this was exactly what they both needed.

"I love you," Anna said suddenly. It was the first thing she'd said to her in at least an hour.

"I love you too."

Anna bit her bottom lip before sinking under the mud. Elsa watched her, but no more words were said. Anna's thoughts were her own, and they'd stay that way.

And they did for the rest of the night. She at least didn't seem to be upset with Elsa, but she was remaining tight lipped on whatever was on her mind, and clearly Elsa's guessing game was only making matters worse.

Elsa relayed precisely that to Tiana as they lay in bed that night, Elsa desperately trying to distract herself from the problem that had been eating at her all day.

"You've just got to let her have her space," Tiana reasoned, as if Elsa had not already come to that conclusion half a dozen times.

"I know," she grumbled. "I just hate this. She's finally back in my life and I can't get her to open up to me. I was worried that it might have been about you at first."

"Was it?"

Elsa considered lying, but she owed it to Anna to at least make sure that her suspicions were incorrect. "Partly," she admitted.

Tiana stared at her, unblinking, willing elaboration forth from her girlfriend.

"She seemed to be worried that you were -" she hesitated, searching for a way to phrase it that didn't include the words 'abusive,' 'mean,' or 'bitchy.' "Well that you seemed to be very quick to anger of late. I insisted that that wasn't the case, and she dropped it, but it definitely seemed to be on her mind."

Tiana's eyes narrowed. "Does your little sister think I'm abusive?"

"Don't hit me."

Tiana slapped her shoulder. "Clearly she's right. I hope you're planning on fleeing from your dreadful partner immediately."

"As soon as she finishes satisfying me."

The glare opened into a look of feigned innocence and surprise. "Oh? I wasn't aware I had started."

"Well then perhaps you should remedy that."

So she did. Elsa quickly followed suit, and the serious discussion that Elsa had intended to start was momentarily waylaid by matters that seemed far more pressing.

Afterward, as they lay atop each other, spent and glistening with sweat, Elsa did the unthinkable – she resumed their prior conversation. "She is wrong, right?"

"How many orgasms do I have to give you before you drop this?" Her hand snaked back to Elsa's thigh. That's a strange way to show offense.

"I know you're not abusive, that wasn't what I meant. Sorry, you may have fucked my brain out a bit. But is everything okay with us? Has she been picking up on some underlying issue that I have been too distracted to notice? You know you can tell me anything."

Tiana threw her head back onto the pillow, her hand falling away, as she let out a long breath. "Is it awful if I say yes?"

"Of course not," Elsa insisted, bolting upright to look down at her partner, the sex-induced fog and exhaustion having all but vanished.

"I'm not mad at you – at least I don't have any right to be – hell, you have more than adequate reason to be mad at me as much skirt as I've been chasing lately." She paused, visibly chewing on her words. "I'm just a bit jealous."

Elsa quirked her head. Tiana's words didn't make the slightest bit of sense. "I wouldn't be mad at you for that – what do you have to be jealous of? You mean that girl at the bar? Nothing happened."

Her eyebrows knit together at that reminder. Clearly that was not the present issue, though it may still be another one. "No. Not her." She finally forced her confession out. "Anna. I'm jealous of your sister – I know it's absolutely insane, but for so long you've just been all mine, then Anya came back, and Anna, and it's just all such a big change. We've both barely ever spent time with anyone else. I'd hate to say we were co-dependent, as independent as we are, but part of that was because we only needed each other."

Elsa searched for any sort of response and found herself wanting. She never felt like that in the courtroom and yet every woman in her life seemed to leave her wordless of late. "Tiana –"

"No, forget it. Like I already said, I know I'm just being crazy. It feels a little better that you know, at least. Just make sure you still make some time for me, or else I might just try out that abusive thing."

Elsa playfully rubbed her shoulder where Tiana had slapped her, prompting another on the other side. "I will. Now let's just hope you can stay in the country long enough at a time to provide me with the same."

"I'll consider it," she replied coldly, rolling over to go to sleep.

And back in the doghouse I go. When will I ever learn to shut up? She loosely wrapped an arm around her girlfriend, and was pleased to find that it wasn't knocked aside. Thoughts of the day's insanity with Anna and Tiana raced through her head, but sleep eventually chased them off, and she joined her beloved in a peaceful slumber.

The next morning, Elsa crept downstairs in her bathrobe, expecting the rest of the house to still be asleep, to find Anna making pancakes.

"Good morning," Anna remarked cheerily. Elsa was not awake enough for her sister's new demeanor.

"Coffee?" she replied.

With a giggle, Anna grabbed the still steaming coffee pot and poured a cup for her, along with a more than adequate helping of sugar. Elsa didn't tend to bother with it herself, but she was hardly going to complain. Besides, Anna drowning everything in sugar at least proves it's still her, despite the sudden change.

She even met Elsa's gaze as she handed her a heaping pile of hotcakes. Whatever was going through her head last night, she seemed to have gained a handle on it. Or she's faking it well enough. Elsa was still worried about her, but she'd let Anna come to her when she was ready.

Her secret stayed her own, as the remaining week continued on. Elsa didn't catch any more strange behavior from her sister, save for a single incident on New Year's Eve.

Olaf had been returned a few days prior, and had spent the intervening time absorbed into his new PS4. Anna had to practically drag him away from it to join them for their celebrations. Only the enticing opportunity to smash pans together was enough to prevent his immediate retreat.

"I think your present may have been a bit too good," Anna insisted, glaring up at her.

"Well you said no fireworks, so I had to get him something special." Elsa leaned back in the couch, sipping at eggnog, as she tried to decide how serious Anna's anger may be.

"I told you that after."

"Then I bought it because I had to win his love."

A smile began to form on Anna's lips. Not that angry then. "And just what are you doing to buy my love?"

"The spa day wasn't enough?"

Anna slid closer to her on the couch, her voice a faint whisper in Elsa's ear. Her own glass was empty. "It's a start. Can you think of anything more?"

Elsa finally met her eyes. She couldn't begin to unravel whatever strange workings were winding their way through that ginger head of hers. "Tell me. I failed as a sister and as a parent. What can I do to make it up to you?" Lay my cards on the table and maybe she'll actually explain herself.

Anna blinked and turned away. She stood, picking up her glass and taking it to the sink. "I think I've had a bit too much to drink."

"You've had like three glasses, am I to believe that you're suddenly a light weight? You certainly weren't when we were kids." She swirled the remaining eggnog left in her glass, weighing the decision to refill it.

"At all drunk is too drunk when you're a single mother."

Now that, Elsa couldn't argue with. She conceded the point, and decided against that third drink for herself.

Tiana sat on the footrest with Olaf, both staring at the TV as the ball in Time's Square shimmered on the screen. It was just past eight PM, but Anna was not about to let Olaf stay up until midnight, so she had told him that he could begin making noise at nine. Hey, it's midnight for me. "Lilo would love this," he cheered, turning away from the screen for only a moment to face his mother.

Nani had called earlier offering to pawn Lilo off onto Anna for the night for this very reason. "I'm sure she's doing it at her place too."

"It's just not the same without her," he whined, focusing on the screen yet again, his ladle held ready over a pot, despite the intervening forty minutes.

It was hardly Elsa or Tiana's usual New Year's Eve plans. Granted, they had both been asleep long before midnight last year, but not too long ago they would be at actual parties, drinking far more than the meager helpings they'd had that day, watching fireworks, or out in the country with some friends – Tiana's friends, at least, Elsa had been avoiding that particular vice.

It was nice. Though Elsa had already found her mind drifting to the mountain of cases she had no doubt were piling up and waiting for her back home. She wished that it was an imposing specter, making her value her time with her sister all the more, but she had to admit that she missed it. The last time she'd stood in a court room, she'd only been in the audience for Anna's divorce. She needed to feel the thrill that comes with facing the jury and arguing her case. She needed to feel the rush of power from imposing her own distortion of the facts over any other. She loved her job, and this was the longest vacation she'd taken since she'd started, and it was beginning to hurt.

She helped herself to one of Tiana's popcorn balls as the final minutes began to tick down. Anna and Tiana had traded places, Anna's own pot sitting on her lap as she eagerly awaited celebrating with her son.

Tiana wrapped an arm around Elsa, pulling her close. Elsa finished off the snack as the audience announced "TEN!"

Wiping an errant crumb from her lips, Tiana pulled her closer, barely an inch from her own lips.

"ONE!" sounded, and their lips met. Elsa felt arms envelop her as she was pulled ever deeper into her partner's embrace, lips parting and tongues meeting. Pot and pans rang near them. Elsa couldn't help but think of those old cartoons where fireworks were used in place of sex.

When the kiss finally broke, Elsa found that Anna and Olaf had fled. The pans still sounded upstairs, and cheers still rang from the TV. "Happy New Year," Tiana announced, before she pulled Elsa back into another kiss.