Anna's dread grows as the holiday season approaches. No doubt she'll get a call tonight from her parents or her sister asking when they should expect her to drive down for Christmas just like they've been doing every night for the past couple of weeks. So far, she's avoided their emails, phone calls, and texts, focusing completely on the holiday show with Rapunzel. She can't bring herself to go back to Andalasia. Not after everything that had happened.

This will be her second Christmas on her own, since she's still too embarrassed to show her face in the place she once called home. She misses her family dearly, she really does, but seeing them also means facing her demons and she's not quite ready to do so just yet. But no matter how many times Anna tries to rid herself of the images oh home, she has found herself dreaming of the taste of her mother's sugar cookies, the smell of the Christmas tree that stood tall in their living room, the sound of her father singing carols at the top of his voice, and the company of her little sister as they watched the snow fall from the sky, drinking hot chocolate in their favorite mugs.

She's convinced herself that she isn't homesick, shooing away positive thoughts of home and replacing them with the harsh reminders of why she had to leave in the first place. She's willing to spend another Christmas alone if she has to, just as long as she doesn't have to return and be recognized as the teacher who was "transferred". Even if she does go back, leaving would be just as painful since she'll be without her family once again, perhaps for another full year.

Tonight, she's sitting on her couch, listening to the wind howl outside, bringing more snow to the city. She's mindlessly checking her social media accounts on her laptop with no intention of actually caring about what her friends are doing and not paying attention to the combined twenty-five Facebook message notifications from her mother, father, and sister. The TV is on at a low volume, and her half eaten Mushu's Chinese Food container is on the coffee table.

She's yanked out of her stupor when she receives a text. She lazily reaches over and checks it, thanking God that it's from Elsa and not from her family.

"Come over," it reads.

Anna raises a brow. "Now?" she replies.

"Yes now. Olaf's at a sleepover."

It takes a moment for her brain to register what that means. Her eyes widen, and with life and motivation suddenly jolting into her system, Anna scrambles to her feet and rushes to get dressed to face the harsh weather outside. She hastily throws away her empty boxes of Chinese food and shoves whatever is left inside the fridge. As she stands at the open fridge door, she wonders if she should bring anything, so she grabs a small stack of Reese's candies before shutting it. Once she stuffs them in her bag, she flies out the door, locks it, and runs down the stairs. In her haste, she slips on some ice in the parking lot but thankfully catches herself. Taking in a breath to calm down, she carefully heads to her car.

She arrives at Elsa's house in record time, knocking excitedly on the door. It's then she realizes that she's perhaps being a little too enthusiastic. She pauses and reaches to the door to knock more politely. But before she can do that, Elsa opens it, dressed in her pajamas. She's even wearing her glasses, and her hair is pulled up in a messy bun. Anna's stomach does a small somersault, thinking how adorable Elsa looks tonight. She nervously lowers her fist and smiles at Elsa.

"Hello," she says.

"Good evening, Anna," Elsa smiles back. "Come on in." She steps to the side and Anna walks in, shedding her coat, happily inviting the warm air to melt her chilly skin.

"Here, this is for you." Anna digs in her bag and hands over the chocolate. "I. . . didn't know what to bring."

"They're perfect," Elsa says, pecking her cheek and taking her coat.

She hangs it on the coat rack before leading Anna into the house. The TV is on, playing a couple of commercials, and there's take-out sushi on the bar. There's a fire burning in the fireplace, and the lights are slightly turned down, soothing the redhead. Everything feels so warm and cozy, and the smell of the burning logs is in the air. Anna smiles, finding some kind of relief in knowing that Elsa's spending her night off similar to how Anna was doing earlier. She doesn't feel as bad for lounging around and doing nothing if Elsa is doing the same thing.

"Make yourself at home. I was just about to make some tea. Earl Grey okay for you?" Elsa says.

"Yeah, perfect." Anna moves into the living room space, watching Elsa briefly as she works in the kitchen.

She turns her attention to the television for a second before her eyes linger on the photos atop the fireplace's mantle. She moves forward and finds herself examining a picture of toddler Olaf. A smile graces her lips at the adorable image. He's grabbing his feet, looking up at the camera with curiosity. Anna can just barely make out the fine colored hair on his head. Those big, blue eyes of his sparkle in the picture the same way they do now.

Moving along the mantle, Anna sees a younger Elsa—most likely college-aged—with Kristoff on one arm and Rapunzel on the other. They all look more or less tipsy, but seem to be having a great time. The next photo is of Elsa and Olaf, Olaf looking no older than four. Elsa is kissing his cheek and he's grinning at the camera.

This is the Elsa—and Olaf—before Anna even set foot in Arendelle. Their lives revolved only around each other. Just a tiny family of two. Anna keeps looking at the photos along the walls. There are other images of that life before Anna, and even some of Elsa as a little girl with gaps in her smile caused by missing teeth, a tiny braid to keep her thick hair in place, and those same big, blue eyes that now belong to her son. Anna even catches a glimpse of teenage Elsa and her parents during the holidays, and her heart aches once again for her own family.

Despite of avoiding them, she wants to see them more than anything. She just wishes she didn't have to drive all the way down to Andalasia in order to see them. She doesn't think she has the courage to face her old city and neighbors after the trouble she caused at the preparatory school. These thoughts repeatedly plague her mind and she's growing tired of them. She also is slightly jealous of Elsa for having friends that she can still hang out with. She's close to Kristoff and Rapunzel, and most likely others since Arendelle is where Elsa grew up. Anna has Merida, and sometimes Rapunzel, but is more often on her own.

The sound of Elsa clearing her throat pulls Anna out of her head. She turns around to find Elsa holding out a mug. Anna thanks her quietly, blowing on the drink before taking a sip.

"You alright?" Elsa asks.

"Yeah. I'm just thinking and admiring."

"Is that all? You seem distracted."

"I am a little bit. It's just. . . the holidays are coming up and I'm unsure of what I want to do."

"Oh. Well, come sit with me on the couch. Let's talk about it." She moves over to the couch and pats the spot beside her. On the coffee table, Elsa has the Reese's spread out on a little plate for them to snack on.

Anna looks back at Elsa. "Elsa, you don't want to hear about—"

"If I didn't want to hear about it, I wouldn't be offering. Or am I crossing a boundary?" Elsa raises a brow in concern. "Am I?"

"No, no." Anna sits down next to her. "I'm just. . . It's hard to see my family after being gone for as long as I have. And why I left in the first place. . ."

Elsa looks at her questioningly. "You don't have to tell me now."

"No. You deserve to hear it." And Anna briefly recounts her time at Andalasia Preparatory School, choking on tears but never letting them fall. She doesn't want to dwell on it long.

When she finishes, Elsa takes her hand gently. "Oh, Anna. . . You've been hurt, and I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I'm sure us dating isn't making your time here any easier. My actions at the museum probably didn't help either."

"Yeah, about that: that's not going to happen again," Anna's voice is firm but calm. "I can't risk doing that on the job."

"You're right. I'm sorry."

"Well, look, I had fun. Don't get me wrong," Anna says quickly. "I really. But it'll be a one time thing."

Elsa nods in understanding. "Okay."

"You're something special, Elsa. I really like you and what we have. It's just. . . well, I think I would be humiliated if I were to go back no matter the circumstances. I don't know if I could face the people I left behind. No doubt we'll end up going to a holiday party and one of my old colleagues will be there since it's such a small city. I'm sure my name has been brought up many times since I've left."

"You don't know if that's true, Anna."

"Elsa, please, I know how people there function. It's not a backwards town or anything, but people talk. An old high school friend of mine got stoned in the bathroom at school when she was sixteen and her mother found out, like, the next day because the gossip spread like a wildfire. The fact that uncoordinated, eccentric, redheaded Anna got booted from the best elementary school in the city after one year is bound to have been the talk of the town for the longest time." Anna looks down at their joined hands. Elsa is rubbing the top of Anna's hand with her thumb, now a common way to quietly communicate between the other. It soothes Anna as she keeps talking. "I need to wait for a little while longer before I return home."

"You can't wait forever. One day, you'll have to face it with your head held high. The best fucking teacher Arendelle has ever seen will stroll into Andalasia and everyone's head will turn in awe. Other teachers will bow down to you and your teaching methods." Elsa leans forward and kisses Anna softly. "They'll beg for advice." Another kiss. "And you'll be the talk of the town again, but there will be nothing but praise and admiration."

Anna tears up and finally smiles slightly. "You're sweet, Elsa." She sniffles and awkwardly wipes her eyes with her sleeve since her hand is occupied with the mug. "I hope you're right."

"I am," Elsa coos. "I believe in you." She sets down her mug and takes Anna's to place it next to hers. She draws Anna in for a hug, pressing the ginger's face in her collarbone. Anna welcomes the warmest hug she's ever received, wrapping her arms around Elsa's torso. She feels safe in Elsa's embrace, shielded from all the evils in the world. "In the months I've known you, I know you're capable of great things. You care so fiercely about your students, and speak so passionately about your job. You should hear how Olaf talks of you. You're practically those kids' mother for eight hours out of the day, five days a week. I don't know how anyone at Andalasia Prep would ever consider you bad for their children."

"'Cause I'm a big ol' lesbian," Anna chokes on a laugh.

"Hey, so am I. People might think I'm unfit to be a parent. I'm a lesbian and a single mother. I'm sure Buffy Biltmore has a field day shitting on my character with her fellow PTA mom friends when they go out to have brunch and laugh obnoxiously over mimosas. But I don't let that get to me. . . often." She mumbles the last part, making Anna giggle.

"Olaf's doing better in class than her daughter."

Elsa blinks and moves back to look down at Anna's face. "Really?"

"Oh, shoot. I prooooobably shouldn't have told you that."

Elsa laughs. "Don't worry. It'll be just between us. I'll just carry around the knowledge that my hyperactive child is kicking ass in your class and Buffy's kid isn't."

Anna snuggles into Elsa and closes her eyes. "Thank you for saying all that, though. About me and my methods."

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."

There's a beat before Anna says shyly, May I be cheesy?"

"Go for it."

"I think you're the best thing that's happened to me in a long time. . . is it too soon to say that?"

"No. I think it's a perfect time to say it." Elsa kisses the top of her head. "I've been missing having a partner. I'm glad I found you even though the way we found each other wasn't the most traditional fashion."

"Eh, who needs tradition? Spice life up a little more, am I right?"

Elsa lifts Anna's head by her chin to kiss her lips, long and sweet. "You've definitely added spice to my life. After all, you are a ginger."

"I haven't heard that one before," Anna jokes.

"Yeah, but I'm me so it's way better than what you've heard before."

Anna laughs and moves out of their embrace. "You're such a goofball, Elsa."

"You better believe it."

They pick up their mugs again and polish off the tea and chocolates as they talk some more about work and the month ahead. Anna eventually convinces Elsa to play some music on her old CD player, and the sounds of the 80s fill the house. Anna sways her hips to Africa, perusing the bookshelf that's sunk into the wall in the back of the living room. Elsa is nodding her head to the beat as she washes her dishes. Occasionally, Anna glances over to stare at her backside.

After Elsa finishes the dishes, she comes over to join Anna by the shelf. She takes her to the center of the living room and they dance together as Duran Duran plays next. The two just have fun with one another, enjoying each other's company to the fullest. After dancing to exhaustion, Elsa throws on an 80s movie to keep up with the apparent theme of the night. They snuggle on one of the lounge couches, stealing kisses from each other, each one becoming longer and deeper as the minutes pass. The next thing they know, the movie has lost their interest as their attention zeros in on each other.

"So, since Olaf is at a sleepover, would you like to have a sleepover of our own?" Elsa asks boldly as the credits roll.

Anna looks at her in mild surprise. "Really?"

"If you want."

"I mean. . . what time does Olaf have to be back tomorrow?"

"I said I'd pick him up around noon. And besides, I have those clothes from our night together after Punz's party that need to be taken home by their actual owner."

Anna blushes. "Well, when you put it that way."

"Only if you want to."

"I do. I'm really enjoying myself. I kinda don't want to leave."

"Then don't," Elsa breathes, moving her face closer to Anna's.

A kiss and one of Elsa's hands up Anna's shirt later, Anna soon finds herself gripping the sheets of Elsa's incredibly comfortable bed, the blonde between her legs. Then Elsa ends up on her back, Anna above her with her hand teasing and touching below. An hour of love making later, the two curl up beneath the blankets, cooling themselves down as best they could underneath Elsa's down comforter and with the heater on to keep the chill out from outside. Anna runs a hand through her tawny hair and turns her head to kiss Elsa's forehead.

"Your bed is awesome. I want these sheets. What's the thread count?" she asks randomly, making Elsa laugh.

"I have no idea. I've had these forever."

"Well, it's so comfy. I might steal them from you forever and ever."

"You're silly." Elsa reaches over and wraps an arm around Anna's waist. She snuggles closer to her. "And I'm tired."

"Hello, tired. I'm Anna."

Elsa snorts. "Dork."

She feels Anna grin against her skin.

They fall silent as they cuddle under the warm blankets. They both grow increasingly drowsier as time ticks away. Anna nuzzles her nose against Elsa's neck, unable to stop herself from peppering kissing along her collarbone, eliciting gentle sounds from the blonde.

"This is nice," Anna whispers.

"Mhmm," Elsa responds lazily, her nails softly scratching Anna's back.

"Are you sure you're okay with me sleeping over?"

"Of course I am." Elsa lifts Anna's head gently so she can kiss her pouty lips. "I want you here. If Olaf were here, it would be a different story, but he's not. It's just us."

Anna nods, eyes fluttering open and shut. She suddenly realizes how tired she really is. Elsa's tender scratching and the warmth of the down comforter aren't helping her situation much either.

"Get some sleep," Elsa coos, seeing Anna's lids droop. "We can grab Oaken's in the morning."

With a smile, Anna whispers, "Best thing."

Elsa doesn't know if she's referring to Oaken's or their relationship, but gives her a soft kiss anyway. Anna closes her eyes and buries herself deeper into the bed and inches closer to Elsa. Elsa tightens her hold as she drifts off, Anna following quickly behind.

Morning is barely breaking over Arendelle when Elsa wakes. She's watching Anna sleep for a moment, her mind abuzz with activity. For several nights, Elsa has considered this bed to be too empty, too big for one person. She had yearned for someone to fill the space beside her so she wouldn't feel so alone, and for a while she imagined that the person beside her was Anna. Now that this is a reality, Elsa almost feels like it's surreal.

When was the last time someone shared this bed with her? And when was it someone that wasn't her child when he had a nightmare? After racking her brain, it dawns on Elsa that nobody with romantic intentions has ever been in this exact bed with her. Ever since Elsa moved into this house, had this bed, had Olaf, and raised him on her own, this bed has been remarkably empty on one side. Now she's sharing it with someone and she can't stop staring, as though she's waiting for Anna to suddenly vanish and Elsa wakes from a dream.

But this isn't a dream. This is real. And a very real Anna is breathing deeply, chest rising and falling. One arm is under the she pillow she drools on, sticking out from the other side. The other is curled against her body. A small snore escapes her every now and then, but Elsa thinks it's cute. Her bedhead is ridiculously adorable. Even in this state, Elsa still considers Anna to be beautiful. She's just so peaceful.

Blue eyes continue to roam the amount of skin that Elsa can see, and she spots a couple of hickeys that she left from the night before. . . or was it early this morning? What time did they even end up going to bed? What time is it now? She glances at the digital clock on her nightstand and reads 8:10. Not too early but not too late. She and Anna can still grab breakfast before she goes to pick up Olaf.

Elsa sits up and stretches until she feels her muscles and joints loosen up, deciding to get up and start the day. She stands and finds her shirt and panties, splashes water on her face in the bathroom, grabs her glasses, and walks to the French doors that look out to the deck. The house is quiet in the mornings, she's found, but she enjoys the quiet moments. Even when Olaf is home, she rises before he does and she takes advantage of the silence to have a second to breathe. She knows when he's awake because she'll hear his door open and shut abruptly as he heads into his bathroom, which will be her cue to officially start her day.

The wood of the deck is damp with melted snow, and the clouds above are a dark, almost ominous grey. Elsa can feel the cold from outside radiating through the glass. She loves this time of year. Winter has always been her favorite for a number of reasons. Snuggling and kissing by a fire had been one of them, especially when she was dating. With Anna, that had become a reality last night.

Her eyes catch a reflection in the glass and she turns to see Anna sitting up from the bed and rubbing her eyes. Elsa thinks she looks too cute with her bottom lip jutting out in a sleepy pout.

"Morning," Anna yawns dramatically.

"Good morning," Elsa smiles. "Sleep well?"

"Mhmm. I don't want to get up. It's super warm in here." She falls back and flops into the sheets. She wiggles deep into the blankets and hums. "Why don't you come back in here and join me?"

Elsa's stomach tightens slightly as naughty thoughts enter her mind's eye. "Don't you want Oaken's?"

"It's not going anywhere. I wanna snuggle and be even warmer than I am now. C'mon, Elsa," Anna purrs, stretching a little more, making Elsa's face flush as her eyes watch Anna's tan, freckled breasts rise up as she arches her back.

Fuck, Elsa thinks to herself. She bites her lip and walks over. She sinks into bed next to her.

"You good?" Anna asks, cuddling up next to her.

"Mhm. This was actually a nice idea." Elsa relaxes a little more as Anna's body heat transfers onto her.

"See? I can come up with some pretty good ideas sometimes."

A soft chuckle, "You can do it more than you think."

"Thanks for letting me sleep over."

"Of course. I'm happy to have you. We should do this more often."

"Yes, we should." Anna cranes her neck and kisses her.

Elsa teases, "Ooh, Anna, don't."

"Why?"

"Because I might make us late for Oaken's."

Anna grins wickedly. "What if I want to be late? And what if I remind you that morning sex is my favorite?"

"Then we have something in common this lovely morning," Elsa giggles as Anna helps her out of her shirt, her other hand pulling down Elsa's panties.

The two stay in bed for a while longer, exchanging long kisses and body heat. Once they finish, they take a moment to cuddle before getting up to really start the day. Elsa feels a warmth spread across her chest while sharing this quiet time together. The feeling of Anna sharing an intimate moment with her makes her heart beat a little faster, Anna's nails gently scratching the small of Elsa's back as they snuggle. She really did miss out on so much without having a partner in her life.

Regardless of how things got started, Elsa is glad that she and Anna are sharing something special.

After school a couple of evenings later, Anna receives a call from her sister. At first, she stares at it, contemplating whether or not she should pick it up. Finally, she takes a breath, and grabs it, answering the call before the last ring.

"Hi, Giselle," Anna sighs, bracing herself for the scolding of a lifetime.

"Why haven't you been calling me, dammit?!" Giselle demands, making Anna wince anyway. "Or answering my calls, or texts, or Facebook messages? Or anything!? You're not dead, as far as I know, so you should have the ability to type out a message to your little sister!"

"I'm sorry." Anna sinks into her chair and runs her hands through her hair. "I've been a little preoccupied with things." Her eyes wander to the stack of ungraded papers, and then to her laptop where iMessage is open, a conversation between Elsa and herself on the desktop.

"Things?" Giselle presses.

"Try work. I'm a teacher; it's not an easy job."

"What about on weekends!"

"I have lesson plans!"

"H-Holidays!"

"Those don't exist much during this time of year. Spring semester has more days off than autumn."

"Ooooh, you!" Giselle growls. "It doesn't matter, Nana! Excuses, excuses! I'm your sister and you should call me! It's how things work in a family."

"You're right. . . I'm sorry, Elle." And she is. She's genuinely sorry that she hasn't been calling her sister, but doesn't have the heart to tell her that she's been purposely ignoring her and their parents.

Giselle takes a breath. "It's okay. I'm busy, too. But I miss you like crazy. Can you please come home for the holidays?" Anna is quiet, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Anna?"

"I. . . I can't."

"Don't you get Christmas off?"

"It's not about work. It's about. . . home. I can't go home yet. I'm not ready to return to Andalasia and see everyone again. No doubt, Dad is gonna invite all his friends to a party, or we'll go to a party, or whatever and everyone is going to be there. Once they see me, all of them are gonna remember the fact I was transferred for not being a good fit, when they all know it's really because I'm a lesbian, and—"

"You're assuming."

Anna rolls her eyes with a scowl. "It's the truth."

"You don't know that."

"I heard them whispering when I was still at home. Giselle, tell me you haven't heard my name brought up at least once a week from Andalasia Prep moms since I left."

"I wouldn't know. . ." Giselle says in a small voice.

"Giselle."

She takes a breath. "Yes, okay. I've heard your name a couple of times from my customers."

"Ha! I told you!"

"A couple of times in the span of a year! And besides, it's usually asking how you are or if I've heard from you lately."

Anna scoffs. "Sure. Like they care. They're probably wondering if the hippie dyke is homeless like they all said I would be by the end of my first year here."

"Anna!"

"What? It's true." Anna scowls up at the ceiling. "They never liked me."

"Nana, please. You're breaking my heart. A lot of people love you here. The people who don't are idiots and go to that stupid, conservative private school. The kids liked you, though. That matters, right?" When Anna doesn't respond, Giselle says, "Right, Anna?"

"Right. . . yes, you're right. That matters the most. I did my job for as long as I could there and hopefully I helped a couple of kids and taught them something new." She glances at one of the cork boards where student work is displayed, smiling slightly at the great things her current students are doing so far. Then she frowns as she says, "I just hate to think their parents made me look like a monster and had them retake the course because I taught them."

"That might be a little extreme, even for those helicopter moms."

"It still hurts, though. And you know that people talk. That's probably why they keep asking about me. Most likely, there hasn't been much in the rumor mill lately and I'm sure that the other homosexuals in town aren't as entertaining as I was."

Giselle giggles. "I wouldn't know about that, but you might be right about the former. I'm sorry it still hurts, Anna. I just really want to see you again."

"And Mom and Dad?"

"They do, too. Remember it's not just me who's been calling you. Please, please, please come home, big sister."

Anna sighs heavily. "I'll think about it."

"Really!?" Giselle exclaims.

"I said I'll think about it."

"Okay, okay. That's good enough for me. Thank you."

"Yeah. . . I gotta pack up for the night so I'll talk to you later."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Good—oh, wait!" Giselle's tone turns excited.

Anna raises her brows. "Yes?"

"Have you met any cute giiiiiirls?" Anna can just hear the snide grin on her sister's face.

She can't help but smile, too. "Well. . ."

Giselle gasps dramatically, cutting her off. "You totally have! What's her name!? What's she like!?" Giselle actually screams in excitement, causing her sister to move the phone away from her ear. "Anna, I want to know everything!"

"It's a delicate topic. I'll tell you when I'm not at work."

"Wait, what?"

"Trust me. It'll make sense when I tell you."

"Alright. . . I'll trust you."

"Thank you. I promise you'll know everything soon."

They say their goodbyes and hang up. Anna gathers her things from her desk and hoists her heavy bag on her shoulder with an oof escaping her lips. She locks up her classroom for the night before walking across the dark campus. She glances toward the yard, empty and silent without kids screaming and laughing as they play. The only sound that she can hear is the distant clinking of the metal chains against metal poles in the tetherball court.

She finally reaches the empty staff parking lot and gets in her car. She drives herself home as snow begins to drift down from the sky. Anna smiles softly, holiday music playing on the radio. At a stoplight, she gets a text from Elsa and briefly glances down at it.

"I'm inviting you to my office Christmas party. I want a lovely lady on my arm." It's followed by the kissing-face emoji.

Anna's small smile turns larger just as the light turns green. As she guides her car home, she thinks that perhaps this year won't be so bad after all.

Thank you for your continued support, lovelies!

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