Author's Note: I hope all of my American readers had a happy Thanksgiving. To everyone else, happy Friday, have an AHR chapter.

And I did see Frozen 2 last week and loved it, but that's all I'll say about it here.

Lilo and Olaf squealed in the back seat as Anna pulled into the garage. Elsa's car was already there, that was weird. Midday booty call? She yawned, stretching as she undid her seatbelt. It had been a long day, and she'd had to deal with some Lilo drama the previous night – since Nani hadn't woken up. "Looks like Aunt Elsa's home," she said to the kids, honestly torn between hoping this meant she'd be able to take a nap and her desire for her original thought to be true. Though, they'd probably have to wait for Nani to get home for that, can't risk Lilo and Olaf suspecting something.

"Yay!" Olaf cheered, trying to unhook the belt on his carseat.

She helped the two out of the car and went to unlock the door before realizing it was already unlocked. As she pushed it open, she heard courtroom noises coming from the living room. She could hear Ellenor Frutt cross-examining someone on the TV. "Hey! We're supposed to be watching that together." She rolled her eyes, glad that she didn't have to fake an annoyed look as she searched the fridge for a drink, settling on one of Olaf's chocolate milks – it was delicious, okay, and she had earned it. I'm glad she appreciated her present so much. It is how I won her over, after all.

"I'm just rewatching an episode from the second season." Her voice sounded muffled, strained, even through the wall, something sounded off.

"Oh, which one?"

"The tourette's one."

"I liked that episode. I mean, not that I didn't like the other ones. It's a good show!"

No amused chuckle, or even a resigned sigh came from the other room. Something was definitely wrong. Taking a sip of her drink, Anna rounded the corner, to find just the state her partner was in.

She was half covered by a blanket, a melted ice cream on the floor before her, a half-empty bottle of scotch on its side on the table. Her face was smushed into a pillow, but her visible eye looked red and bloodshot.

"What's wrong?" The beverage fell from her hand as Anna ran over to her girlfriend, grabbing her hand, staring down at her in shock. Elsa's home early, and she looks miserable – what the hell could have happened?

"I'm fine," she said into the pillow, hiding her face in it.

"Elsa, you're clearly not fine."

"Sensei?" Olaf asked.

"You two go play a game in your room. I'll bring up snacks in a little bit."

"But Mama –"

"What's wrong with Sensei?" Lilo asked.

"Later. Just go."

They gave her a confused look, but finally left after she said it for a third time. She hated doing that to them, but there was no way Elsa would want them to see her like that – and it was possible this might be something they shouldn't hear.

"Is this about us? Is it the thing Tiana was messaging you about?"

No response, but Anna was increasingly convinced that she was right.

"What did Anya do? Whatever it is, we can make it through this. We'll be okay."

Anna placed her hand on Elsa's shoulder, trying to will her to talk to her, or at least offer some comfort, but Elsa pulled away, spinning around to finally face her. "No. We won't. Well, I won't, you'll be fine, I made sure of that."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just leave me alone, Anna. I promise I'm not mad at you or anything, I made my choices, but I want to be alone."

"I can't just leave you like this! Elsa, I love you. Whatever happened, it affects both of us. You're my – my everything. I'm here for you."

"I know. Just please let me mourn."

Anna's breath caught. Had someone died? Anastasia didn't kill anyone, did she? "'Mourn?' What do you mean? Elsa, what happened? You're really scaring me?" Was it Tiana?

"Anna, please."

"Did she kill someone?"

Groaning, Elsa leaned back. "No, nothing like that."

"Then what are you talking about?!" Anna was almost to the point of hyperventilating. This was beyond exasperating. What happened?!

"Anna –"

"Just tell me!"

She swallowed, averting her gaze, staring down at the melted chocolate ice cream, the chocolate chunks swimming in the milky liquid. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out and she closed it again. Tears streamed down her cheeks, falling unheeded onto the couch.

Anna grabbed her hand, twining their fingers together. "I'm here, Elsa. I promise, whatever you need." Other than leaving you alone, apparently. I can't bring myself to do that, no matter how much you say you need it.

"I lost my job."

"What?" Anna's eyes narrowed as she stared at Elsa. That didn't make any sense. "But aren't you like in charge there? How can they fire you?"

"Don't worry about it, Anna. Just, let me sort it out."

"No! Elsa, how did this happen? Was it Anya?"

She took in a shaky breath, still refusing to meet her eyes, and for a moment, Anna thought she was going to shut herself off again – that she wouldn't tell her anymore. "Yes. She told them about you and me."

Anna could feel her world crashing down around her. She what? Her breath caught, tears pooling in her eyes. "No. No she couldn't. She didn't."

Elsa nodded, finally meeting her gaze again. "She did. Tiana tried to warn me, but it was too late. There was a partners' meeting – without me – and they decided to buy me out. I managed to get them to agree to an NDA, and since I was losing my job, they even talked Anya into it, so you shouldn't have to worry about your work, but I don't know if I'll be able to find another law firm."

"I don't care about my job!" Anna insisted, already knowing that it wasn't completely true. "Elsa, that place meant the world to you. I'm so sorry. This is all just because I couldn't just be happy with things the way they were. You had a good life and I went and ruined it. It's all I ever manage to do. I should've just let you and Tiana be happy, and just ignored my feelings."

Elsa's grip on her hand tightened, and her arm wrapped about her. "I love you, Anna. I chose to be with you, you didn't force me into it."

"But you wouldn't have even thought of it if –"

"Enough, Anna. I'm a big girl, I made my choices, and I stand by them. I could've tried denying it, maybe gone to rehab like Phillip, but I didn't. I want to be with you, and I wasn't going to put us through that. I. Love. You."

Anna sniffed, nodding faintly. "But –"

"I hate what happened, and I'm clearly not handling it well, but I'm not gonna have you blame yourself." She glanced at the table, searching around for a moment before she freed her hand and grabbed the bottle of scotch. "Drink with me?"

Anna shook her head. "Someone has to stay sober for the kids."

"Nani will be home soon."

"Then maybe I can have a drink then."

Elsa sighed, leaning back again. The show was still playing, and she stared at it, seeming to look right through the TV as she took a swig straight from the bottle.

Rather than try to keep her talking, Anna laid her head on Elsa's chest, throwing an arm around her. "I'm sorry."

Setting the bottle down, she planted a kiss on the top of Anna's head. "You're worth it."

God, I don't deserve that. "Even though I cost you your dream?'

She choked back a sob, screwing her eyes shut. "I'll live."

"I can get a second job or something, if you need? I don't really know what our finances are like."

With a dry chuckle, Elsa shook her head. "You don't need to worry about it. We have plenty of money. They gave me a nice big buy out. Now I can sit on my millionaire ass unable to find another job, because even with the NDA, the rumors are just going to spread everywhere."

"Millionaire?"

She shrugged. "Maybe we should just move. There has to be someplace else that I could work, where they wouldn't have heard of this."

"If that's what you need."

Elsa blinked. "Sorry. I wasn't thinking. I can't ask you to do that. You have your school, and Olaf and Lilo just started."

"It's fine. If that's what you need, we can do it. I'll find something else. I can start at another school, even if I have to teach high school again."

"No. You just got your dream job back, I'm not making you give that up just so I can start all over on mine."

"But –"

Elsa's grip around her tightened, pulling her close, a little too roughly, but Anna wasn't complaining. "We're not doing it. I'm not changing my mind."

She wanted to fight, but in truth, she wasn't sure she could bring herself to drag Lilo and Olaf away from their new school all over again. Giving up her job also sounded terrible, but she'd be willing to do that for Elsa, any day. "Okay."

"Good girl," she teased.

"You're too mopey for that. Though I'm sure Giselle would love to hear that. Should I call her? Maybe that'd cheer you up."

"I'm good with just you. Although we do have a threesome offer from Tiana. Well, actually just for her to watch, but I'm assuming that the threesome goes without saying."

Anna's cheeks heated. "Would you want to?"

She could feel her partner shrug against her.

"She's your ex – and you don't seem as adventurous as –" Not as I am, as my exes are, it's not like I'm into weird stuff. Right? Okay, other than the incest fetish.

"It sounds like you want to."

"Not especially!"

The chuckle made her chest move against Anna, which she likely wouldn't have noticed if the conversation wasn't having a certain effect on her. "Well, she's coming over for dinner, so if it's something you really want –"

"I don't. I'm fine. I just need you."

"Okay. Good." Soft lips pressed against Anna's neck, and she melted into them, her mind swimming with better ideas for that mouth. "Wait – She's coming over?"

"Yeah."

"Aren't you kinda drunk?"

"Oh." She groaned, letting the bottle fall back to the floor. Anna had no idea when she'd put the cap back on, but scotch didn't spill all over the place. "I should stop drinking then. You're right. God, this is gonna suck. I don't want to be around anyone."

"We could cancel."

"No, I already told Belle to invite Albert. And he's probably her ride home, since I left her there and got drunk."

"You had a pretty good reason." Taking Elsa's hand, Anna pulled it to her lips, kissing each finger, one by one. "Maybe we could help you work the alcohol out of your system."

"You're insatiable."

"It's been like two days!"

"Yeah, that's what I said." Another chuckle, the soft feeling against her back doing little to distract Anna from her libido.

"So, let's go upstairs."

"Finish this episode with me. Then, hopefully, Nani will be home, and I can work off this stress, and the scotch."

Grinning, Anna sat through an episode she'd already seen. Not that she paid attention to it, her mind was on other things, but she at least stayed put and waited patiently for her friend to get home. Then she could have her fun.

Fresh and showered, and with a substantially happier Elsa – relatively speaking, at least – Anna strode downstairs, finding Nani on the couch between Olaf and Lilo. That was unusual. "Did she try to bite him again?"

"Not this time."

"Then what?" Anna flopped onto the sectional, next to the other three, propping her head in her hand as she looked to her family.

"She threw his Playstation remote at the wall."

"Lilo!"

"He was cheating!" Lilo insisted.

Olaf glared at her. "Was not!"

"Was so! Stitch caught you!"

"He's not real!"

"Yes, they are!" Lilo leapt over Nani, tackling the boy. Fortunately, Nani managed to grab her before she could sink her teeth in. "Damn it, Lilo."

"We'll get you a new controller tomorrow, honey, okay?"

Pouting, he nodded his head.

"And Lilo, stop it."

Predictably, Lilo stuck her tongue out at her.

Nani sighed. "We should get her into therapy. I thought just being back around Olaf for a while would help her sort it out. God, that's gonna end up expensive – thank your sister for me being able to afford it." She knows we don't use the s-word. Though, Elsa is the only one that it bothers – other than Nani, actually – so, I guess it's not a huge deal.

"No!" Lilo shrieked. "I'm not doing it! I won't go!"

"Lilo –"

"I'm fine! I don't need it. You can't make me!"

"I just want you to be able to feel better. This isn't sustainable, and you're going to end up hurting Olaf. You don't want that, do you? He's your best friend."

"He's my minion! I can hurt him if I want. And what best friend just abandons you?"

Resting her hand on Lilo's shoulder, Anna said, "He didn't abandon you."

Prying herself free, Lilo spun back to to glare up at Anna.

"Lilo." Olaf's voice was quiet, soft, pitiful, he sounded like he still blamed himself for all of this. "You're here, with me, I'm not going anywhere. And maybe if you saw – one of those – the thera-things, you could tell them about that thing?"

"I don't need to!"

The remaining anger instantly drained out of Nani and her face contorted into an expression of fear and concern. "What thing? Lilo, what happened?"

"No!"

"Then will you tell them? Was it something at school?" Didn't it start over the summer?

Anna stared down at the kid. Had something happened? Lilo had always been pretty crazy, and this had just seemed like a natural progression for her, but if something other than Olaf leaving had set her off, then they needed to know. "It wasn't –" She didn't want to leap to any assumption, that could do far more harm than good. "Lilo, what is it?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Lilo!" Nani screamed, growing more panicked by the second.

"It's nothing." She huffed out a breath, staring at the adults. "Nothing happened! This isn't some 'thing,' it's just who I am."

Olaf nodded.

So she told him about it, whatever it was. "And you're okay?"

"Of course, I am." She scoffed. "I'm a tough monster! I don't need you all looking after me."

The doorbell rang. They could not show up at a worse time. "Lilo –" Anna said, glancing between her and the door.

"I'm fine. Olaf, let's go play that Star Trek game."

"Yes! We can be the Vulcans this time."

"The quadrant will be ours!"

They ran upstairs without another word. Nani and Anna stared after them for a long moment, until the doorbell chimed again. Elsa ran down the stairs, her hair still wet, but with a new red knee-length dress hastily thrown on. "I'll get it." She stopped in the living room, glancing between the two women. "Everything okay?"

They exchanged looks, but neither of them knew what to do about Lilo. Other than maybe letting her eat in their room. "Yeah, we're fine."

Running her hands through her hair, Elsa ran on to the door, pulling it open. "I'm so sorry about that."

"It's no problem," Gaston's booming voice replied.

"I forgot my key," Belle added.

Anna ran on, catching up to her partner, to greet their guests – well, guest. "Hey, Albert. It's good seeing you."

"There's no way you mean that, after what happened today."

He knows about Lilo?! Oh, right, Elsa. God, I'm dumb. Slinging her arm through Elsa's, Anna swallowed, staring down at the floor. "It wasn't your fault."

"Did she tell you that? I sure as hell should've been able to do more. It's my firm! They just – And after I was the one who told you to go for it – I'm so sorry. The message caught me completely unaware, and by the time I had wrapped my head around what was happening, it was already too late to do anything but damage control." His teeth ground together and he blew out a hiss. "Like that's any excuse. I'm supposed to be one of the best lawyers in the whole state and I couldn't manage to react to a single little thing."

"Anya's my ex," Belle pointed out. "If anyone should've had a plan for this, it's me. I know her better than anyone – except maybe Elsa – and I didn't think she'd go this far. It took all of us by surprise."

Elsa shook her head. "It's completely in character for her. I just got too comfortable, I forgot just how much she could still do. I knew better, I should've had countermeasures waiting, at the very least I could've discredited her before her word had managed to sink in."

"Can we just agree it's none of your faults?" Anna asked. "It's Anastasia's. She's the one that did it, and she's the only one responsible. I know you all love beating yourselves up, but just let it rest. You've all suffered enough for one day. Now come in before all of the cold air gets out."

The four clustered around the dinner table. The food hadn't yet arrived, but they were likely all looking too forward to that jambalaya to want to have to add any extra work to the process of obtaining it.

"So, Tiana's coming over?" Albert asked. "That mean you two patched things up? You're not getting back together are you?"

"Damn, that would've been a good cover, would've made Anya's claims seem pretty toothless."

Anna glared at her partner.

"Hey, you'd said you were fine with it." She cracked a playful smile.

Not like I'm even mad. Not only can I not see her doing it, I'm still not really against it. They were a good couple, and it would prevent this sort of stuff from happening if our relationship came to light. But still, she is mine, I can at least be a little jealous now. It's nice to finally have a reason after all those times I was jealous of Tiana without one. "I'll fight her." If she'd been a bit more honest with her reply, she was worried that Elsa would think she was actually angling for that three-way.

"Are we placing bets on the fight?" Nani asked, coming back downstairs to join them. "I just checked on the kids, and they seem to be doing a lot better. Apparently, they just needed to conquer a few planets. Makes sense."

Anna chuckled, but everyone else looked confused. Rather than giving any sort of explanation, she just asked, "Would anyone actually bet on me?"

"No."

"Probably not."

Elsa rested a hand on her thigh. "Sorry, honey. I love you, but I don't think you'd win that fight."

Pouting – Anna wasn't entirely sure if it was serious or jokingly – she stared up at her. "I'm tough! I can take care of myself."

"Tiana works out religiously and owns a gun."

"Oh."

"I mean, she'd have to to work off all those carbs." Belle snickered at her own joke.

A car's lights shined in the window as it pulled into the driveway. "Speak of the devil," Gaston chortled. "I'll get the door. You all sit here. I have been waiting for this jambalaya all day. I love creole food!"

"Mr. Gaston?" Tiana asked, likely staring at him, but Anna couldn't see due to his bulky form blocking her out. "I didn't know you were joining us."

"I hope that's all right. I just could never resist jambalaya."

"Well if that's your reason, you're more than welcome. Try to take home some leftovers too, Elsa is the worst at actually eating them." It's true. She really is. I don't think she's ever eaten a single thing we've had left from any time we've gone out. Not even as a kid.

"I will absolutely take you up on that." He chuckled, clasping a meaty paw on her shoulder as he let her in. "I used to go to New Orleans all the time, you know. It wasn't quite the same, but there's just something about hearing French again."

"If you think we sound anything like they do back in your home country, then I think you've been gone for far too long. I was just in Paris the other month. Oh, now there's some food. You know, I'd love to make you some crepes, or maybe some croissants, and a nice lamb navarin some time. We could make a night of it. Oh, would you mind?" She gestured with the heavy pot in her hand.

"Of course." Without the slightest struggle, he held it up in a single hand, resting it against his hip. "You mean it, though? Oh, can you make chicken basquaise? I mean, of course you can, but I haven't had any since my mother used to make it when I was a kid, and you're the only person in the world I'd trust to beat her recipe."

She smiled up at the big man. "I'm flattered. I would absolutely love to."

"Well, we'll just have to do this soon. I don't know if I could wait too long."

"I'm in town all week. This weekend?"

"For you? Name the day and I'll be there."

Anna stared at them. "If your ex gets together with your best friend, I – I don't even know what I'll do. Isn't she gay?"

"I don't think they're flirting. Though, Tiana is always flirting."

That was certainly true. Anna studied them. She'd probably just been straight for too long. People can just be friends, no matter what the movies tell me.

As he set the food down for her, Tiana produced a bundle of foil, presumably with food in it, from a bag over her shoulder. "I hope y'all brought your appetites, 'cause I made a boatload. Are the kids around? I made sure to make plain cornbread this time."

"They're eating in their room," Anna explained. "They had a fight, and I think they need some time to sort it out, and I also don't trust the conversation to stay child-appropriate with you around."

For a second, Anna thought she'd hurt her with that jab, but her mouth split into a broad grin. "You might be right. Though I do manage to keep it PG when I'm on air, but maybe that's why I'm so raunchy the rest of the time. I'm sure you can relate, being a teacher."

As badly as Anna didn't want to agree with that, she had a point. "Yeah, I suppose I do."

"A woman after my own heart." She winked at her, and Anna was reminded of just how perverse they could both be. "So, Elsa, did you figure out what Anastasia was up to?"

Shit. The color ran out of Elsa's face. She'd already had to rehash it so many times that day, one more might just be her limit.

She wouldn't have to. Anna held her hand, and said, "She did, and it didn't go well."

Gaston, Belle, and Anna explained what all happened – which is to say that Gaston and Belle explained it, while Anna caught the info she'd been missing, and chimed in on Elsa's behalf when necessary.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry. I knew she – I didn't think it would be that bad."

"Honestly? I thought it'd be worse," Elsa admitted, finally speaking up again. She still looked pale, and her cheekbones stood out even more than normal, but a bit of color was starting to return. "At least she didn't hurt anyone."

Anna gaped. "You thought she was gonna –"

"Just that she might."

"That's why I've been ready, and trying to stay in the neighborhood. I was going over some plans at that coffee shop near here that I liked. I wish you'd have let me know, Elsa. I'd have been right over at a moment's notice."

"Didn't I say to actually watch Anna?"

"I thought there was a good chance she wouldn't approve of me being here. I wasn't sure how we left things."

That would suck. If Anya managed to kill me because Tiana thought that I was mad at her, would that be ironic? I'm not an English teacher anymore, I don't have to know. "I was at school anyway, but next time you're worried about my life, just come over. I promise, I'm not mad at you. In fact –" she glanced over at Elsa's still panicked look. Okay, maybe don't offer a threesome. "Maybe you could stay over for a while this week? Just in case? Elsa says you have a gun. Just, don't let Lilo around it. Please. For the love of god."

Nani pointed out, "She'll find it and steal it anyway. Just leave it in your car."

"We don't have anything to worry about," Elsa said. "She's already had her revenge."

"You did get her to sign that NDA though," Albert added. "Maybe that took the fun out of it."

Missing the point, Belle chimed in with, "Technically Ms. de Ville did that."

"Still means she didn't ruin Elsa as badly as she may have wanted."

Elsa sighed. "Guys, I'll be fine. You really don't need to worry about me. I don't think she's going to try anything more. And she's especially not going to risk breaking the law. This is Anya we're talking about. If she murders someone, then how will she convince herself that she has the higher ground?"

"Okay, yeah, that does sound more like her." Belle unwrapped and snagged a piece of cornbread. "Sorry, I didn't have lunch. So, you really think that's it?"

Blowing out a slow breath as she considered, Elsa finally nodded. "I think so. At the very least, I don't think she'll do anything beyond be a petty bitch if she sees me anywhere. It's not like she can reveal anything without breaking the NDA."

"But wouldn't she?" Tiana asked. "I'm sure by her beliefs, breaking a contract isn't as bad as incest." She put as much emphasis on it as she could, trying to make it sound all scary, which was quite a feat given how much it obviously turned her on.

Elsa winced. "Can we please just stop talking about this? It's making me lose my appetite and this food smells far too good for that."

"Well, when you put it that way –" Tiana dramatically pried the lid from the pot, holding it above them as the spicy scents filled their lungs. "Bon appetit."