Every horrible thing that happened to Elsa for 13 years was because of her family.

When Anna figured that out, moments after learning the real truth about her past from Elsa, she could barely talk. Miracles were indeed possible after all – the good and the bad.

For that night, she spent so much energy convincing Elsa nothing was her fault, and that she always had and would love her through anything, she forgot to point out who the real villains were. But she couldn't forget during her futile efforts to sleep the next few nights.

In the middle of the fourth night, Anna made her way down the halls. She stopped at the shroud covering the portrait of her mother and father. The only reason she didn't pull it off was her fear that she would then rip apart the portrait itself.

But it was tempting. Just like the temptation to yell and cry at that painting until all of Arendelle woke up to hear it. Woke up to hear the full truth of how Elsa was never out of control, fearful or so, so broken until they shut her into isolation. At that moment, Anna wanted the whole world to know what their ideas of love and protection did to their own daughter – to both of them.

And then she wanted them to know what crimes their youngest daughter was guilty of.

Not for the first time in the last four days, Anna wished she could lock herself up for crimes against Elsa – both from 13 years ago and a few weeks ago. At the very least, she wished she had the guts to abdicate as princess. Like she didn't know how unfit she was before she knew everything.

She'd at least researched that the last act of a retiring royal could never be overturned. So she could fire everyone on the royal council who'd force Elsa to get married and pregnant after Anna stepped down, and Elsa couldn't stop it. She'd even gotten halfway through writing the official decree.

But a well thought out impulsive plan was still an impulsive plan.

Deep down, it was the same as jumping higher and higher and ignoring all pleas for safety until disaster struck. The same as blaming someone, asking "What have you done?" and wiping out memories without getting all the facts. The same as not questioning cryptic visions and isolating someone from the world, their best friend and their sense of love because of it.

And the same as ripping off gloves and making a scene – instead of just talking in private when it was offered – until an eternal three-day winter was set off. Or singing like a naïve idiot in the middle of someone's storm and panic attack until your heart froze. Or handing a throne to a murdering usurper. Any of those things.

Anna now knew Elsa was the only one in their family who was never a monster. She could dwell on that, punish herself, destroy the reputation of her parents, and lash out at her kind-of sort-of probationary boyfriend's family while she was at it. But just blaming herself seemed to be the only way not to turn into a worse monster.

And since her parents at least tried to play with her for years – leaving aside their lies during every second of it – she figured she'd offer them a way out.

"I need to believe you know a lot of this is your fault by now. And mine," Anna addressed the covered portrait. "You want to make it right? Then you talk to….whoever you gotta talk to up there, and you help make this one thing happen."

She fought back tears – though she knew it was only temporary – and made her request. "Give Elsa a family again."

"You don't gotta push her into some arranged marriage too! There's enough people doing that! I'm halfway to getting rid of them, trust me! But just in case…." Anna sighed.

"Because of us, Elsa hasn't had a family who….put her needs first. Who cared more about her than secrets, or their own childish desires. Who didn't rub in the worst moment of her life with every door knock. Who taught her a healthy, safe way to love instead of showing her she had to be afraid. Who were proud of who she was in every single way. Who didn't give up on her for years at a time….or make her curse a whole kingdom…."

With that, Anna started losing the battle against her own tears.

"Maybe it's too late for me to be better. That's kind of your fault too, let's be honest," Anna held back further bitterness. "I mean, if me, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven can be the family for her that you and me never were, that's great! But even if that can't happen….if I can't be part of the family she really deserves….just do something to give it to her!"

Anna hadn't heard Elsa spying on her when her talk started, and she certainly didn't hear her coming closer now.

"After everything we took away from her, someone has to give it back! Please! You or somebody up there owes Elsa the greatest new family in the world! I don't care if I don't make the cut! She's always deserved so much better than you or me….it's way past time she had it, okay?"

Even if Elsa had moved towards Anna then and there, her quiet sobs would have drowned it out. As it stood, Elsa still needed a few deep breaths – and had to will herself not to use her old motto in front of its creator's portrait – before she went to get Anna's attention.

When she had it, Anna stared at her with blank, watery eyes, then impulsively embraced her.

But before she let the next set of tears fall, she gasped and realized her mistake. Her very old, very destructive mistake of pushing Elsa's boundaries without her permission, even now. No wonder she still wasn't cut out for her ideal family.

She let go of her and tried to stammer out apologies – and Elsa immediately knew why Anna thought they were necessary.

The shame of it sparked an even more impulsive, even bigger hug from Elsa. And even louder tears than Anna had planned for.

Elsa made out a few "I'm sorry, Elsa"'s from Anna through her sobbing. But Anna was too guilty, scared and wracked with tears to say any more. For her part, Elsa was just too guilty and scared to actually talk about it – and the rings of truth in some of her accusations. But never the ones about Anna.

The rest was more proof of how Elsa had made the most wonderful, ideal person in all the world feel so much unnecessary pain because of her. Even now. Another reason why she barely deserved Anna, let alone an actual family.

Maybe it was in the cards for people like Anna. Their parents had better be spending their time up there making sure of that – in a reasonable time period. But for Elsa, family beyond Anna was a lost privilege that was too late for her to get back.

No matter who Anna or the heavenly powers might sacrifice to try and prove it wrong.

Sven

After a particularly trying council meeting, Elsa just wanted to be alone. She wasn't quite up for Anna's unique brand of cheering up just yet, although she had been less forceful than usual lately. On the other hand, retreating behind a closed door was too much of a step back.

So Elsa found refuse at a place no one, not even Anna, would look for her.

Of course, when she got to the royal stables, she couldn't get too close to them. It seemed she needed to have a talk with the groundskeepers later, on top of everything else. Yet she made herself stay as close to the stables as her powers – and nose – would allow.

Nevertheless, Sven didn't keep as much of a distance.

When Elsa saw him coming, she gasped and swung her arm out – then panicked and hoped he avoided the icicles in time. But when she looked over, there weren't any icicles on the ground. In fact, there were a bunch of flurries swirling in the sky – and Sven was trying to catch them with his tongue.

After catching the next one, Sven looked at Elsa with a kind of anticipation. She almost wished Kristoff were here to translate, then almost got lost in poking holes at his "reindeer translating" skills. Regardless, Sven was still around and making her feel uncomfortable, which wasn't good for either of them.

"Um….please leave. Go on. Uh, desist! Retreat! Run away!" Elsa failed to convey. "I command you! No wait….oh, how does Kristoff do this?"

In her worry, a few more flurries rained down. Once she noticed, she tried to make it stop, until she saw Sven look enchanted by it once more.

It was the kind of look only Anna, Olaf and small children had when it came to her magic. But they were children, Anna and Elsa's creation – none of whom really knew better in some ways.

Sven probably didn't know better either. Yet this was still someone who wasn't her sister, wasn't her creation, and wasn't an innocent child – and was still awed by her powers. He even seemed to find them tasty.

It was probably healthier for him than the kind of carrots he and Kristoff shared, at least.

More important and less gross for Elsa to think about, was that she was on edge with her powers, used them anyway, and still made someone happy with them. Even if it was just a reindeer, it was better than the last 13 years. What's more, he couldn't plead with her to talk either – Kristoff maybe, but not her.

It was perfect.

Elsa experimentally threw out more snowflakes, a few of which flew away. Sven raced to follow them, which briefly made Elsa relieved that she was alone again. Until she remembered what damage – and company – a reindeer on the loose could bring.

So Elsa raced to find Sven and figure out how to get him back without touching him. The first part, at the least, was easy. Then it became quite surprising and beautiful.

Sven had found his way into the castle meadow – one of the many peaceful places Elsa had to hide herself from. Especially in the summer. But this wasn't like the last 13 summers.

As that washed over her, Elsa found her favorite tree that she liked to nap under, in those precious minutes before Anna climbed on it. Sven probably couldn't climb, yet Elsa didn't want to take chances. So she created a big snow pile near the tree to distract him.

Sven marched there, rubbed his face against it and then actually laid down to rest. It was likely a nicer and more pleasant place to rest for him than the stables. Especially for someone not used to boundaries and having four walls around him.

Even for someone who was, this….wasn't bad at all.

And so Elsa came to find an acceptable resting place that didn't have human company, but didn't have doors either. Yet the more time she spent there, and the more time Sven 'accidentally' wandered there, she gradually found less time to rest. But it wasn't as daunting as it could have been.

Having someone to talk to in stressful times had its place. In other times, having someone around who couldn't talk in their own voice, but who still offered quiet acceptance and awe helped too. No matter how unhygienic it still was to touch them – which was still a more freeing reason not to do it than others.

Yet Sven was still a companion in solitude. Not like Anna was when they were on opposite sides of the door and couldn't interact. This was certainly different – certainly better in a few ways. And maybe in others too.

Soon enough, it was Kristoff who found Elsa and Sven in the meadow one day, both napping in one of Elsa's snow piles – and with Elsa resting against Sven's side.

Kristoff immediately knew for his own sake - not to mention Elsa and Sven's - that Anna could not find out about this until his dying day. At the very earliest.

Olaf

When winter came, Olaf no longer needed his own flurry. He was still just as eager to explore Arendelle in the winter, however. There were days when Anna couldn't supervise him, however.

Elsa was still adjusting to walking around town, and around people. But she had to do it with someone other than Anna at some point, if she couldn't by herself yet. And as Anna reasoned, there was far less reason for Elsa to fear hurting Olaf – her own creation.

There were other words Anna clearly wanted to use, but she bit her tongue. Somehow. And occasionally literally.

Four days after one of those days, Olaf trailed behind Elsa as she went through the marketplace. No guards were with them, since Elsa had her own personal means of protection – no matter how she felt about them.

But although a lack of guards made her more approachable, it still wasn't that bad. It certainly wasn't bad when Elsa struck up an actual conversation with an outdoor chocolate vendor. And Olaf was awestruck at some naturally made icicles nearby with no humans around, so he seemed okay.

Olaf broke one of the icicles and used it as a spyglass, like he did when Anna was locked in the castle months ago. Like back then, he saw something interesting up close with it. Unlike before, it wasn't Kristoff.

While Elsa was talking to the chocolate man, someone was coming up behind her. Someone getting something from his pocket. Something that looked like….

Olaf knew what a sword was, after seeing how Hans almost used it against Elsa. As such, he could recognize the mini-sword that man behind Elsa was taking out. And he could recognize why he was raising it up – and what was going to happen to Elsa if he dropped it.

And this time there was no freezing Anna in sight, or act of true love on the horizon, to save her.

First Olaf was overcome with fear. Then when he imagined what would happen to Elsa if someone didn't do something, he felt something even harsher. All from the thought that Elsa might really be….could really….

Then a loud phrase came out of his mouth.

"MOM!"

Then his entire head came off of his body – and was flung right at the would-be assassin.

Olaf's head connected with his head, just as Elsa finally turned around. The assassin dropped his dagger and stumbled just far enough, as Olaf's head landed on the ground. Instead of using whatever window of opportunity he had left to get Elsa, the man turned his attention to the head.

Before Elsa could use her window of opportunity, the man had stomped his boot onto the back of Olaf's head.

Then an even louder word than the last one was heard across town. From a different, usually regal voice.

"OLAF!"

Then the owner of that voice went on a protective instinct of her own.

It was the only thing that stopped Elsa from freezing Olaf's attacker completely. She only had time to encase his entire body below the neck in ice, leaving his head free. Before she got tempted to remove that head as well, she made herself rush to Olaf and try to magically put his head back together.

When it looked the same again, she picked it up and ran over to his headless body. Once it was reattached, she prayed she didn't change anything in Olaf's precious, adorable, brave brain when she rebuilt him. That he didn't damage Olaf after he saved….

"Whoh! That was different than melting! It's less heartwarming to say some people are worth getting stepped on for, that's for sure!" Yep, her Olaf was still there.

But he almost wasn't, all because of him.

Elsa turned to her nearly frozen attacker, making sure the ice tightened around him even harder. She could have conceivably crushed him to the point of no return, which sure looked tempting at the moment.

Except that it would be one more thing Olaf shouldn't have seen today. At least this was something she was capable of stopping first.

Normally, she would have doubted that. But the need to protect Olaf from any more suffering won out.

Her murderous, protective rage was gone by the time the guards finally arrived. When they did, Elsa melted the ice and ordered, "Get him into the dungeons and out of my sight. Now," with no wiggle room.

"Your Majesty, we should get you clear too," one guard suggested.

"I'm fine. I'm more alert now. You go see if he had any friends, just in case," Elsa ordered. "I have to…." she didn't waste time finishing, going right back to Olaf.

"Are you okay now?" Olaf asked, completely normally.

"Me?! I didn't….and you had your….all because I didn't…." Elsa stammered, forgetting her need to speak properly – especially in public. She did manage to complete, "You put your head on the chopping block for me?"

There was only one familiar answer Olaf had for that. "I love you."

It was a phrase Elsa hadn't heard regularly in so long, until these last few months. Even then, it was only said by Anna. This was the first time Elsa could remember that someone else had said it. She certainly couldn't remember the last time someone other than family had said it to her, if ever.

But Olaf was….or at least Olaf saw her as….

And the fact of the matter is that she was.

Because of that, someone other than Anna risked their life for her, out of nothing but love for her, for the first time ever. And he was still okay. She made him okay, just like she somehow did for Anna. The only family member Elsa….thought she had left. But now….

She really wasn't alone anymore. She didn't die alone today too. Even if she did, she still would have died with….

But she didn't, because Olaf loved her. Just like a son. Just like she….

Then Elsa said something she'd barely said for as long as she could remember. Something she never let herself say, or feel, to someone other than Anna for so long. "I love you too."

At that moment, she wasn't a queen. A queen would probably care more about how it looked to be on her knees, hugging a snowman out in the open – especially after an assassination attempt. She certainly wouldn't be fighting back tears over that snowman either.

But this was Elsa hugging her little snowman. This was different.

And yet all the parents in Arendelle witnessing this – and all those who knew parents – couldn't see anything different in Elsa's actions than those of any other parent hugging their child. In that moment, the image of Elsa as an actual Snow Queen with ice in her heart took another gigantic blow. Maybe a permanent one.

"Your Majesty, we really should get back home," a guard suggested again. Elsa just hugged Olaf closer, unwilling to move or part with him yet. Every other parent could relate.

However, rationality won out and Elsa finally got to her feet, ready to head back to the castle. Nevertheless, she and Olaf didn't let go of each other until they got there.

That night, after Anna could finally get an hour of sleep, she stopped fighting her instinct to hover over Elsa and make sure she wasn't scared into hiding away again. When she got to her room and found that she wasn't there, she was both relieved and worried.

She wandered the halls, looking for any signs of Elsa – or at least any jagged ice lying around. Or even a hint that some had melted recently. But her real discovery came when she started opening the doors of the Great Hall.

Anna promptly closed it almost all the way, then breathed a sigh of relief when Elsa and Olaf didn't look in her direction. Instead, Elsa was still focused on making an ice rink in the middle of the hall. After getting her magic skates on, she went onto the ice and held a hand out for Olaf to take.

Olaf actually seemed shier than Elsa at that moment. Perhaps the toll of today, and the harsh truth of how much some people could still hate Elsa, had weighed on the happy little guy. Maybe that's what they were doing there to begin with.

And yet it was Elsa making the first move to do something fun. It was Elsa encouraging someone to forget their troubles and smile for a few moments. And it was actually working.

Anna covered her mouth and her "aww" sounds as Elsa and Olaf glided through the ice hand in hand. When Elsa started spinning and Olaf cheered, it got harder for Anna to keep quiet. When Olaf tried to spin and Elsa stopped his head from coming off – and giggled instead of having panic attacks over his head coming off again – Anna's hand became wet with falling tears.

At that point, Anna closed the door and ran for the nearest dozen tissue boxes. It was a struggle not to run the other way towards them.

But even Anna knew Elsa needed some private mother-snowman time.

Kristoff

The happiest moments of Kristoff's life all happened because of the worst moments of Elsa's life. Meeting his troll family, meeting Anna, Anna thawing out, etc. Everything other than Sven and ice that gave his life true happiness and meaning, he got at Elsa's expense.

It seemed more unfair the more he thought about it. After the assassination attempt, he couldn't think quietly about it any longer.

After a few days went by, Kristoff found a private audience with Elsa during her tea time. He had to steel himself, since these were the most words he would ever say at once to her. Probably the most words he'd ever said in a row his whole life.

Between that, his nerves over getting it wrong and his still prevalent fear of her disapproval, it was a rambling speech at first. He might as well have sent Anna in here to say it. But by the time he got to their past connections, he began to salvage things.

"I owe so much to you. I know a lot of it happened because you suffered. I just want you to know that….I think you've suffered enough. So from now on, if anyone ever wants to hurt you again, they have to go through me," he promised.

"Just don't lose faith in people, because there's still one person who believes in you. Well, two cause there's Anna, of course, but she's different! I mean, it's a great different, but that's not the different I mean!" Kristoff couldn't look at Elsa now as he scrambled to save his skin.

"I mean because….I'm not someone who's had faith in people either. Not until Anna. And….not until you. Seeing the things you can do, the way you are with Anna and Olaf and even Sven, and the way you fight for Arendelle….it makes me mad that some people still can't see that Elsa. After what you've been through, everyone should by now! Not that I mean you have to show them, cause you're still private and all! You know I get that!" At least he got somewhere before he lost the point.

Maybe he'd have it for a few extra seconds on the next go around.

"The point is, whatever I can do to make more people love that Elsa, I'll do it. Me and Anna, of course. Even if I have to dress up! Bathing…..we can work out a compromise," Despite that, Kristoff felt confident enough to at least look at Elsa again.

"I know part of you might think I'm trying to suck up to you. I know you and Anna are….used to suck ups," Kristoff said, without saying one particular suck-up's name. "But even if you don't believe it, I know I'm not saying this stuff because you're the Queen, or Anna's sister. Not just because of that! It's mainly because….you're my friend."

Kristoff looked away again, so he'd still have the guts to explain himself. "I know that might be too forward! It's just….I'm not someone who's ever had a human friend before. Anna's….gone beyond that, at a respectable pace! So….you're really the first human I've ever thought of as just a friend." After a pause, he realized, "I don't think you've had one of those either….have you?"

Realizing his mistake, he corrected, "You don't have to answer that! I guess you don't have to believe me, either. It doesn't matter, though. You just have to know, as long as you and your sister want me in your lives….I'm going to defend and stick up for both of you, no matter what."

"You've given me so much, and it's time you got to be happy about it. So I'll do anything I can to make sure you are. Your Majesty." With that, Kristoff was certain he used up his entire vocabulary, and figured he'd leave while he had the chance to learn more words. Just in case he messed this up worse than he thought.

"Elsa," he heard. For all the big words Kristoff didn't know he had in him, that one word from Elsa probably landed much harder.

"Beginner's lesson. Friends usually call friends by their first name. At least when they're in private company. Kristoff." And for all his big sentences, Elsa spoke even louder with just the one. A lesson for future talking indeed.

"Duly noted. Elsa," Kristoff complimented. He credited himself for not bowing before he left the room.

Elsa was even more reserved, which normally wasn't a shock. But this was different. To have someone speak to her, and of her, with that type of esteem…..if it were anyone else, it would make her very distrusting. To a Hans like degree.

The cost of being a queen and a big sister, she supposed. And the cost of….never having a friend who wasn't her own sister or snowman.

Yet regardless of what Elsa thought, Kristoff kept his word. Anna certainly led the charge to spread the word about Elsa's greatness, more than usual after the attack. But Kristoff was right there with her, at every meet-and-greet, walk around town and social gathering. They even worked out that compromise on the bathing.

No matter how much Kristoff clearly hated these functions, or was out of his element, he still powered through it all. And it wasn't only for Anna.

Weeks passed by before the next major ball at the castle. There, Kristoff put on the full show – squeezing into a tux, greeting people, spreading the good word about Arendelle, the ice business and Elsa, and listening to people talk and talk and talk – and not in the fun way like Anna. Yet he endured without making a complaint.

Even when he overheard a particularly snooty ambassador make snide comments about him anyway. The nicest one was about how he at least scrubbed a quarter of the "reindeer stink" off him. Although it was at least 90 percent in reality.

In any case, no matter how much Kristoff wanted to 'correct' him on that and other things, he knew he couldn't. He couldn't even tell Anna or she'd do worse, then the whole ball would be ruined. It'd probably ruin some diplomatic thing or another too, which would reflect worse on Anna and Elsa than him.

So for their sake, he kept quiet and bottled his emotions down. Elsa did it for 13 years, no matter how much it killed her. If she could do it under far worse circumstances, he could too.

In fact, he was doing it far better than the other person who overheard those remarks.

Elsa's hands were behind her back, which was nothing new. In this case, it was so no one could see the fists she was making, and the frost she was barely containing from them.

Hearing that man and seeing Kristoff trying not to respond – and not for his sake – fueled an ire in Elsa. An ire she only felt when someone insulted Anna behind her back. The kind of ire she felt towards anyone who only saw the crazy imperfect surface of Anna, and couldn't – or wouldn't – see how perfect she truly was.

She thought it was a long buried sisterly impulse. But this kind of….protective outrage over Kristoff wasn't sisterly. Or brotherly, or out of love. Not Anna's kind of love for him, anyway. This was….

This was what it felt like to want to stand up for a friend. This must have been exactly what Kristoff felt that day in the tea room. And why he did so much for her and Anna since – including not punching that man's lights out.

Elsa couldn't well do it either. And she didn't feel like letting Anna do it. For the first time ever….she wanted to be sneaky and vengeful on behalf of a friend.

She got her chance at the end of the ball, when the ambassador made his way out to his carriage. Everyone else was standing around, including Anna and Kristoff, but they were largely distracted. If Elsa angled it just right…..

Right when the ambassador started climbing into his carriage, and right when Elsa knew no one was watching her, she shot a spark of magic out toward the ambassador's horse. It bounced away harmlessly on the ground, but it was enough to spook the horse and make him race away.

Even though the ambassador hadn't made it into the carriage yet.

He found himself hanging on for dear life as the horse ran, his own screams drowning out the muffled laughs of the crowd. Some weren't so muffled, of course, but Elsa didn't mind Anna's loud guffaws in public just this once. Especially not when the horse stopped and the ambassador finally fell into a nearby puddle.

Playing her innocent part, Elsa rushed over to help the ambassador. "I'm so sorry, let me help you," she said as if she meant it.

"Don't bother!" he replied, truly meaning that. "I've been humiliated enough without pity from – "

Elsa didn't conceal her deep, warning frown on that one. Nor did she miss Anna and Kristoff charging over with deeper frowns – and with Kristoff actually ahead of Anna. She raised her hand to make them stop, and they barely managed to.

Fortunately, the ambassador finally saw sense and calmly accepted Elsa's help, climbing into the carriage before any more laughs or mishaps. When he left at last, Elsa sighed in relief and turned to Anna and Kristoff.

"What was his problem?! It's not like you made him fall! Funnest thing anyone did all night, anyway!" Anna objected. But it was her second point that made Elsa flinch just a little – and enough for Kristoff to see.

"Did you…." Kristoff started to ask.

"Why don't we all get inside and rest? We need some relief that has nothing to do with comedy," Elsa declared. The rest of the guests went back inside or made their arrangements to leave, yet Anna and Kristoff stayed.

"Hold on, did you?" Anna wondered, having caught up with Kristoff's question.

"Like I said, we can handle everything else inside now," Elsa stressed, squeezing Anna's hand to make her understand. She also reached for Kristoff's hand, giving it a gentler squeeze, along with a subtle look of a deeper understanding.

The understanding that she would make anyone who slandered her friend suffer in some way. Once again, even without words, Elsa's gestures got more across than a hundred speeches. At least for Kristoff.

It was yet more proof that Kristoff never had a friend like Elsa before, and vice versa.

It would stay that way even if – when – that friendship got more familial.

Anna

The next major ball in Arendelle came on a very important day. The anniversary of coronation day.

Instead of romping around, singing and falling in misguided love, Anna was buried in work. She had been ever since she volunteered to be in charge of the ball. Since then, she'd been in charge with a precision and total commitment that bordered on Elsa-lite.

It was easy for Elsa to be proud of it, and the palace to be pleasantly surprised and relieved. At least at first.

It wasn't that Anna was a tyrant in running every aspect of the ball. Far from it. It's just that she wouldn't take a break on making it perfect. She worked around the clock to make sure nothing would go wrong, that the guests would be cared for without any hassle, and that nothing surprising or unexpected would happen.

In other words, the exact opposite of last year. In more other words, the exact opposite of anything normally associated with Anna. Which was the point, for reasons Elsa started to dread she already knew.

Yet while Anna didn't shut Elsa out, she didn't leave Elsa much room to talk or share concerns. That alone wasn't new, but this wasn't in the goofy, awkward, fun Anna way Elsa was used to. Somehow, she suspected and feared Anna was proud of that.

Elsa knew how going overboard to conceal disaster at a party could backfire. But with no way to deter her, she headed to the anniversary party, on edge for whatever fallout would come on this day this year.

Yet on the surface, there was none.

On the surface, the ball was an absolute success. There were no usurpers, no schemes, no ice and no chicken dances to be found. The guests that Anna chose had a lovely time, everyone's needs were cared for, people were reminded of how far Elsa and Arendelle had come, and no incidents cut the party short. It was everything Anna had wanted.

And she could barely stay awake to enjoy it.

Anna spent so much energy on planning this party perfectly, she didn't have any left to possibly mess it up. She was happy about that, until the fatigue hit her. She had enough energy to talk to guests, like a normal, proper princess – and that alone told Elsa she was barely keeping it together.

Yet with her own duties, Elsa couldn't find a moment alone with Anna. There was one window of opportunity when Anna took her leave into the hall, and Elsa finally had room to excuse herself. She got down the halls just far enough to overhear Anna, but not see her yet.

"Keep it together, Anna! Just a little while longer, please!" Elsa heard, almost smiling that Anna was talking to herself.

Until she heard her tell herself, "This is one party that hasn't been ruined by engagements, secrets or forcing eternal winters out of someone! Just don't embarrass yourself or anyone a little bit more, and this'll be the party Elsa should have had last year! The one she deserves! Please!"

Anna had forgotten something Elsa knew all too well. If this was the party they had last year, then Elsa would have spent the next 365 days still locked in her room. Assuming Hans didn't kill her and Anna by then.

If last year's party was just like this, then Anna and Elsa wouldn't be sisters right now. And Elsa would never have….

Elsa was tempted to go back in the Great Hall and start shooting magic. Or spark up a snowball fight. Or do something to actually put a bit of Anna in these festivities. Yet if she did that after everything Anna was putting herself through, she wouldn't be relieved.

That fact was the only thing to make Elsa go back in the hall quietly, and make her stay quiet even when Anna returned. She kept an eye on her, of course, but somehow Anna kept herself awake, polite and well-behaved even without her.

It was enough to make Elsa cry.

But Elsa's tears and Anna's wilder impulses stayed concealed, right up to the last guest leaving. At that point, Elsa insisted on getting Anna to bed, and Anna had no room and little brain power to object.

Once Elsa got Anna on her bed, she figured she'd be out then and there. But Anna was still able to mumble, "Hey Elsa….we did it."

"We?" Elsa asked.

"You didn't curse anything this year….and I didn't make you," Anna quietly cheered. "This was the perfect night…."

Elsa was moments away from telling her different. Now that it was over, she could tell Anna how last year's ball was so much better.

Last year, she talked to her Anna for the first time in years, laughed her first laugh with her in years, and almost told her how much she loved and missed her. All of it was so much better than anything that happened in this ball.

But like last year, just when she wanted to tell Anna the full truth in her heart, she couldn't. This time, it was because Anna was finally sound asleep.

Taking that as a small victory, she tucked Anna in, kissed her good night and left her room. By her guess, she'd probably sleep for a day or two straight, which was more than enough time to plan out….something better.

Yet when Elsa turned the corner, her early planning was interrupted by the oncoming Kristoff, Olaf and Sven. "Sssh! She's sleeping!" Elsa whispered, although they couldn't possibly wake her even if they were in her room.

"Good, then you can listen closer," Kristoff said, with a boldness he didn't have a year ago. "Elsa, I've powered through a lot of parties for you and Anna. But that was the worst one of all time. Because that wasn't our Anna out there. She killed herself to make up for something that wasn't her fault or yours, she made herself like everyone else when that's not right at all, and you know that…."

He trailed off when he saw the growing smile on Elsa's face. "You know that and everything else I said already, huh?"

"It seems we all do," Elsa was proud to say. "Now then….what do we do about it?"

Two days later, they finalized their answer.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Anna woke up in her party dress, like she had in the few minutes she'd been awake in the last two days. But everything else was different.

Like the fact she wasn't in bed anymore. Or even indoors.

She had to close her eyes all over again when a bright light beamed down on her. After some effort, she realized that light was coming from a palace. Elsa's ice palace. Which meant she was at….

Then it dawned on her she was in Kristoff's sled. Which also meant….

"Surprise! Happy getting unthawed day, Anna!" Olaf popped out. Elsa and Kristoff followed out far quieter.

"What day is it? And how…." Anna started. "How did you get me to the North Mountain while I was sleeping?"

"By dodging your sleep kicks and jabs. And sticking our fingers in our ears during the ride," Kristoff explained. "Don't worry, I stuck to my ears only!"

"It was considerate of him," Elsa admitted. "Regardless, we made it right on time."

"Time for what?" Anna was still more confused than usual.

"To spend the whole day playing on the mountain! Just as Elsa decreed!" Olaf pronounced.

"I didn't officially decree that part. But I did decree before we left that no one in Arendelle is working today. Or ever again on this day," Elsa said. "Today is too special for that."

"And today's the Great Thaw anniversary, by the way. In case you forgot or you didn't hear Olaf earlier," Kristoff cleared up.

"What? Both those things happened to me!" Anna realized. "That's today?"

"Yes it is. It's the day we needed to celebrate all along. Not….three days ago," Elsa shared. "So today we're going to have a real celebration. One with real fun, games, and anything else you actually want to do. Not like the last party."

"What are you talking about?" Anna questioned.

"Anna, there were no disasters at the coronation anniversary. And I hated it," Elsa confessed. "I hated it because you weren't there. Because you didn't bounce around, sneak off with chocolates, distract me with silly comments or mock the Duke of Weaseltown once. I wanted to enjoy myself with my sister, and I couldn't. Again."

"Hey, wait…." Anna started.

"You had your reasons. As much as I disagree with many of them," Elsa said. "I let it happen anyway, because it made you think I was happy. Well, now you have to indulge us. So we grabbed you while you were sleeping, took the sled through my faster, safer route up the North Mountain, and we're not going back until we have a full day and night of real fun. Of Anna fun. With our family."

"But I had to….wait, what?!" Anna stopped in her tracks. "Our what now?"

"Your family. And mine. Just saying our family saved more time. Until now," Elsa noted. But it was clearly going to take even more time to get through to Anna.

"Anna, a year ago today you thawed both our frozen hearts. And then you did so much more. You brought these….unlikely people into our lives for good, and you gave me a family again. Not our parents, not the heavens, you," Elsa stressed.

"Well….you're the one who made Olaf and saved him at the fjord, so…." Anna mumbled shyly.

"And this year I want to beat him in games at the palace. Then do it again every year on this day. With him, Kristoff, Sven, and….whoever else we let into this family one day," Elsa wished. "But we don't have a family, or any days of fun, without you. Without our Anna."

Yet the only thing Anna could bring herself to focus on was, "You called them your family?"

"I did," Elsa confirmed. "Don't you see now? No matter how bad things were….or whose fault it was….none of it matters anymore. If it got us right here, right now, what does any of it matter? If I can see that, then it's okay for you to – "

"Let it go! Let it go!" Olaf started to sing, but stopped when everyone just blankly looked at him. "Are we not singing a reprise of that? Okay, my fault, sorry! I had it stuck in my head for a whole year and two days, I guess it finally came out off cue!"

"Duly noted, Olaf," Kristoff acknowledged, then went back to Anna. "So can Fiestypants come with us to play? We got Marshmallow sorting our supplies and your snow clothes inside, and I'm sure he's only eaten eight chocolates by now. Or tried to. I'm still not clear on snowmen's taste buds….so let's go in and ask him!"

"Of course, if you're too rusty to do all that stuff, then –" Elsa started her reverse psychology. And promptly finished it when she got a snowball to the face.

"I'm freeing the chocolates from Marshmallow with or without you! Your call!" Anna jumped up and warned, then raced to the ice bridge before getting any answer.

"Well, I'm more expendable backup than you, so…." Kristoff shrugged, then tossed another snowball at Elsa before racing off.

"Well, Anna will never let me hear the end of it if you're expended, so…." Elsa started, before forming a huge snowball over her head, tossing it and seeing it land directly on Kristoff.

His head popped out from the top just in time to see Elsa give a sorry/very much not sorry smirk, before she, Olaf and Sven went past him to follow Anna.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When all the snowball fights, ice skating practices, Olaf/Marshmallow duets, snowmen armies, chocolate and carrot binging and sunset watching was finished, the family finally got back to the sled, so they could make it home to sleep in beds for a few hours.

On the ride back, the humans and little snowman rested their heads to look up at the awake sky, instead of getting a nap. Kristoff sat on the right with his arm around Anna, whose right hand was being held by Elsa, who had her right arm around Olaf on the left.

366 days after their last gathering on the North Mountain, these four were finally leaving it together. Without fear and with all the love in the world.

Kristoff was leaving with the first human family he ever remembered having. Even if he wasn't a legal part of it. Not right now.

Anna was leaving with the pain of the past finally, completely gone. Along with the bad memories of her old family – which now seemed less important than the good ones of this one.

And Elsa left feeling surrounded by complete, unconditional love, from more than just her sister, for the first time in 14 years.

From a person, snowman and animal who worked together with her to give Anna one of the great days of her life. Who taught Elsa she didn't have to give Anna that happiness alone – and that it didn't mean she failed to make up for 13 lonely years.

Or that if….certain inevitable things happened between Anna and Kristoff, and more people did join their family tree….none of them would let her be alone again.

Darkness and fear didn't have to be the constant in Elsa's life anymore. The happiness and warmth she felt at this moment didn't have to be fleeting.

It was a privilege she knew – not hoped, but knew – her second family would never let her lose again.

Just as she finally knew no one would ever lose it from her again.

THE END