Notes: I've decided to follow a straight timeline, and it will follow the events of chapter two and on wards. So pretty much after the great thaw and on wards. 18 year old Anna, and 21 year old Elsa will be our constants in the story. I'll try my best to keep from jumping around. If I do veer from the intended path, then i'll be sure to label any flashbacks and everything else appropriately. Hopefully that'll eliminate any sort of confusion when reading this fic.

They woke up slowly, together, and in each others arms.

Anna blinked her eyes open and nearly bolted at the tight fear she felt gripping at her heart. Her body seized and her heart raced in preparation for the winds of a storm that would rattle her bones and cut through her like a knife. She spent a long moment like this, tense and anxious, but the winds never came. Instead of stiffening limbs and numbing cold she found herself wrapped up in warmth and comfort. She soon came to realize that there was no need to protect herself from a phantom storm. No natural storm would be able to penetrate the safety of the room, that she was now just beginning to recognize as hers.

This knowledge was welcomed, but still disorienting.

Anna shivered. The grasp of the North Mountain's storm would be a memory that her mind would hold on too for a long time yet. But as it was, she wouldn't dwell on that now. Now she would let her heart ease at the knowledge that she was still within the castle walls, nestled warmly in bed, and tucked in right next to Elsa. She wouldn't know what she'd do if she found herself on that mountain top again. Life had treated her cruelly once before.

Her hold on the woman tightened at the memory.

"Anna?"

The red head pulled away from the thought and refocused her attention to the present. She was with Elsa and she was safe. She'd learn to appreciate the little things in life.

"I'm sorry Elsa," she apologized, immediately loosening her hold.

The older woman rose from the embrace, and Anna followed her movements. They sat there a moment in silence, staring at each other and quietly contemplating the events of the previous day.

Anna shifted uncomfortably in her seat. The older woman's gaze was intense and she couldn't help the blush that rose up and burned bright on her cheeks.

Elsa eyed the tint of red curiously, briefly hoping that it wasn't due to the lingering fever, before she straightened and allowed a firm look to settle onto her face. "What happened to you Anna?" she asked softly, continuing from where they'd last left off.

Anna blinked and barely caught the woman's words. She tore her eyes away and shifted her gaze down onto her lap, biting nervously at her lip.

"Well um... you see," Anna began, then hesitated. She didn't know what to say. How was she supposed to explain the disappearance with out upsetting the older woman further? Elsa was stressed enough dealing with her own powers as it is, and she didn't want to overwhelm her with the struggles of her own. She'd rather put that off for as long as she could.

But... that wouldn't be fair would it?

Anna broke away from her thoughts and lifted her gaze, only to find a face of sorrow staring straight back. She could see the hurt in Elsa's eyes at her hesitance, and her heart clenched at the sight. An alarm went off in her head when she realized that the silence was upsetting the older woman. She thinks I don't trust her.

Anna decided then, that there would be no more secrets. They've been through enough already, and she refused to create anymore distance between them. She wouldn't hide this any longer.

"Elsa it's okay, calm down," she said hurriedly, trying to ease the woman. "It's not that I don't want to tell you. It's just, um, how should I put this?" Anna's brows drew together in concentration as she tried to figure out a way to break it to the older woman as gently as possible. She smiled when an idea came to mind.

"I know this might seem a little off topic, but bare with me please." She bit her lip before continuing, "Remember that night when you were eight, you stayed up so late at the library that you fell asleep?"

"Yes," Elsa said slowly, unsure of what the girl was trying to get at, "But I've done that numerous times. You'll have to be more specific." Elsa leaned back and allowed a slight frown to form on her face. Anna was stalling, she knew that for certain, but she had no idea why.

"Think back to the first time it happened."

"But what does that have to do with anything...,"

"Elsa, please. Just try and remember," Anna interrupted, gazing at her in earnest.

At the look on the girl's face Elsa drew back and relented. Her brows furrowed in concentration as she dove into her memories to find what the girl was searching for. Falling asleep in the library. She would do that on occasion, even now as grown as she was. It was a troublesome habit that she couldn't shake, stemming from the day of the accident. Elsa flinched at the thought.

That first day apart had been so hard on her, and the resulting loneliness had her turning to books for comfort. She had spent hours locked away in the library that first night. She remembered falling asleep curled up next to a stack of books. "...I remember how hard the floor was."

"Well!" Anna interrupted excitedly, "I was the one who carried you back to your room!"

Anna practically bounced in her seat, hoping that the older woman remembered, but Elsa still looked at her with that same questioning gaze.

Anna's movements calmed to a halt when she noticed the look, and her sliver of hope vanished at the sight. She sighed before slumping back against the head board in disappointment.

She thought the memory was significant enough to make the older woman realize where she was going with this. It was to her at least. But then again, she reasoned, time might have something to do with it.

It had been years for Elsa since that little incident, 13 if she counted right, while for herself it had only been a few months.

Anna clearly remembered the sight of the sleeping child laying on the floor, surround by piles and piles of books. Elsa looked so small and helpless then, and what made it worse was the fact that the young girl was curled up next to a fire place that wasn't lit.

Anna had rushed over instantly. She pulled the cloak off her shoulders and gently wrapped it around the poor girl. That had been before she learned of Elsa's powers, and she remember being furious that the girl was left alone for so long in that cold room. Her anger quickly turned into heart ache when she noticed the tears in the child's eyes. Anna sniffed suddenly and felt the sting of tears in her own. She was familiar with the sorrows of loneliness, and reality struck her hard when she saw that Elsa had experienced the same pain right along side her. They were together in that aspect, and that made it hurt all the more.

She gathered the child up into her arms and held onto her close. Anna had to rely on the cover of the shadows to sneak the girl back to her room, and she sighed in relief when the door shut softly behind them. She was glad it was late enough into the night. Who knows what would have happened if someone saw her, a stranger technically, holding an unconscious heir of Arendelle in her arms. That would've been trouble. And maybe a little exciting, she thought with humored relief.

She readjusted Elsa in her arms and made her way to the girl's bed. Every step felt heavier and a frown stretched tight across her face when she noticed how empty the room was. A moment passed before realization dawned on her.

Her heart sank deep into her chest. This must have been their first night apart. Her toys weren't even moved yet and everything just looked so... bare. Anna's hold on the girl tightened. Elsa would be spending the next 13 years of her life here. Alone and hiding away in fear.

Anna placed the girl gently on the bed and looked at her sadly. The cloaked she laid around the girl was the only color that stood out in this dark and grey place. Everything in this moment just felt so cold and depressing. Anna frowned deeply before an idea came to mind.

Quietly, she snuck out of the room and made her way down the hall to a door with pink trimmings. She opened it softly and made her way inside. She ignored the sight of an empty pink bed, and made her way to the blue box filled with toys.

She wasn't strong enough to drag the whole thing back with her, but she did manage to bring an armful of toys back to Elsa's room. If the girl was forced to be alone, then at least she wouldn't be alone in such a depressing place.

Anna rested her hands on her hips and looked around proudly. Everything looked so much better now. The grayness had ebbed away, and now the room glowed warmly with the comforting hues of blue. She decided to finish up with a letter of encouragement for the girl. It was really out of habit that she did so. She loved leaving notes laying around for Elsa to read. She liked to pretend that Elsa took as much comfort in reading them has she did writing them.

The letters! Of course! Anna shook her head from the memory, and a smile jumped back onto her lips when she remembered the letter she had left behind. Written by her own hand only two short months ago.

"Didn't you ever notice the letters I've left laying around for you?"

At that the older woman sent a warm smile her way and her shoulders seemed to relax.

Yes! Progress!

"Thank you for those Anna," the woman said, genuinely happy. "I've kept every single one if you'd like to see them."

The smile on her face faltered slightly when Elsa still hadn't caught on. "But...didn't you notice anything strange about them?"

The look on the older woman's face turned to confusion at the question. "Not at all. I thought they were very sweet. They've helped me through a lot of lonely days."

Anna beamed happily at that, before shaking her head and remembering the task at hand. "Wasn't it strange that the earliest one's were in cursive? And some pretty impressive cursive I might add." Anna asked earnestly. She had been proud of how greatly her penmanship had improved over the years, and she hoped that it was impressive enough to earn Elsa's attention.

Elsa chuckled lightly, "Yes of course. Your penmanship at five rivaled mine at that age."

Anna pouted deeply at that and crossed her arms over her chest in a huff. I wasn't five when I wrote those. But she chose to keep that thought to herself.

Elsa chuckled harder at the look on the younger woman's face. "Oh come now Anna, that was a complement. Now what are you trying to get at. Just tell me, please." Elsa said, her smile falling away and her voice ending in a plea.

The pout on Anna's face melted away and her shoulders slumped in defeat. She really needed to work on her tactfulness. "I just..." Anna paused. She remembered then, the promise she made to herself. No more secrets. She straightened in her seat with a firmer resolve. "Yeah, okay."

Anna took a deep breath and looked Elsa straight in the eyes. Now or never. "Let's just say that you're not the only one with..."

A loud knock on the door sounded. "Your Majesty?"

Anna jumped slightly at the voice and both women turned to the door, startled. Really?!

Elsa looked at her with an apologetic look, before turning to the door and speaking with barely concealed harshness. "What is it? Didn't I say that I wanted to be left alone with Anna?"

"I-i'm sorry your Majesty," the man said with a stutter, "But a matter has come up that requires your presence immediately."

"I'm sorry Kai, but it can wait."

"No."

Elsa turned to Anna sharply. "What?"

Anna reached out to grab onto Elsa's arm, trying ease the older woman out of any worry. "It's okay Elsa. You better go."

Elsa looked back with a frown pulling down at the corner of her lips. "What? No, you just woke up. I don't want to leave you."

"I'll be fine Elsa. You have duties to attend to and I wont stand in the way of that. Besides, you've already stayed with me these past few days, right? I'm sure I'll be fine for a few moments on my own." Anna smiled and gave Elsa's arm a reassuring squeeze. "I promise i'll be waiting for you when you finish."

"Anna." Elsa breathed, slightly stunned at Anna's display of maturity. "I'll just... i'll just be a moment then. I'll be back as soon as possible." Elsa looked at her a moment longer before rising from the bed. "I'll make sure of it."

Anna nodded her head, the smile never leaving her face. "I know."

With one last look and the light brushing of her hand against Anna's cheek, Elsa turned and walked from the room with a flourish of graceful haste.

When the door closed softly with a click, Anna allowed the smile to fall from her face. She didn't mean to force Elsa away. No, more then anything, she wanted to tell Elsa the truth. But she knew it couldn't be that simple. For the moment she heard Kai's voice, she had felt it.

A light tickling at the back of her mind.

She wont be able to keep her promise.

Anna walked quickly down the halls of the castle. The moment she was left alone she jumped straight for her closet and dressed in the warmest garb she could find. After the last excursion she wanted to be as prepared as possible.

That was fifteen minutes ago, the girl thought in frustration, why am I still here? She knew she didn't imagine it. The pull at her being was a hard thing to misinterpret. There was no other feeling like it.

Another tug.

There!

So she did feel it. It was there. But... something was strange. It wasn't doing what it usually did. Instead it felt...delayed somehow, like it wasn't ready to take her yet. The violent pull she was accustomed too wasn't there, and that confused her to no end. The sensation of traveling through time was disorienting, powerful. It should have plucked her away without mercy by now, and usually with no time to prepare herself.

"Ughhh, what's taking so long?" She wanted to get this over with. Sometimes her travels would be a short affair. Brief in it's length of stealing her away. If she was lucky, then she could get back before her absence was noticed. She had been lucky in the past before. But now..Why was it taking so long now?

She continued to stomp down the halls, each step leading her deeper and deeper into the castle. She hoped that some light activity would hasten the effects. Wake it up so to speak. But as of now, she could still only just feel that light persistent tug. It was strange to find the sensation annoying, instead of frightening.

She rounded a corner sharply and bumped into the last person she wanted to see at the moment.

"Elsa?!"

Elsa blinked in surprise at seeing her sister so suddenly. "Oh Anna, I was just on my way back." She took in the sight of the girl up and about and her gaze grew serious. "What are you doing out of bed so soon? You should be resting."

Another tug.

"I was just," Anna began, trying to get her bearings straight. The tug pulled a little tighter just now, and it was making rational thought an increasingly difficult thing to grasp at. "I was just. Trying to get a snack. Yeah! I mean yes. A snack. You know I must have knocked out for a while because boy am I hungry." Anna quickly rubbed her stomach to emphasize the point.

The older woman's eyes narrowed. "Right... but why are you all dressed up?" At that, Elsa took a step back and traced her eyes up and down the girl. The first thing she noticed was that Anna was bundled up far more then she needed to be; especially if grabbing a snack was her only intention.

"Oh! Ummm..." Darn it. Elsa was too perceptive for her own good."I was...just... planning to find you; after the snack of course. I was going to ask if you'd like to go out for the afternoon. And obviously," Anna said gesturing to her cloths, "I made sure to be ready for all that snow." Anna grimaced. Both at her weak excuse and also at the growing strength of the tug. Only now did it decide to be more forceful in it's attempts. Why though? Why now? Why does the universe hate me.

She raised her eyes to Elsa's and found that a light frown had stretched tight across the older woman's face. She flinched and hoped, with everything she had, that it was due to confusion and not a growing distrust. "A-and I better head over to the kitchens before we head out for the day right?" Anna turned on her heels. "So i'll see you in a bit," she said before bounding past Elsa and down the halls.

"Anna wait!" Elsa said reaching out for the girl. "But..." Her fingers curled and her hand drew back slowly, "it's summer."

She stood there in a daze of confusion. What was going on with Anna? Her brow furrowed and her eyes hardened with a goal in mind. Something was wrong, she concluded, and she was going to find out what. Anna wasn't allowed to disappear and come back sick and hurt with out a proper explanation. Anna had always been there for her. Even...even when she made it difficult for the girl by pushing her away each time. But now...now it was her turn to be there for Anna.

Her body surged forward and with no hesitation left in her movements, she gave chase.

"Anna wait!"

Anna looked back and saw the Queen approaching at an alarmingly fast pace. No no no no. She shouldn't be following me. The tug at her being was stronger now. It pulled and grasped with the strength that brought a familiar fright to her heart.

She didn't get a chance to explain. If she'd had the bravery to tell Elsa the truth right when she awoke, then she wouldn't be running away like this. She couldn't let the older woman see her disappear now. Not without having the chance to explain everything properly.

Her vision tunneled and the familiar buzz of energy was already numbing her limbs. She heard the clicking of heels not too far behind, and she feared glancing back. No! She willed her feet to go faster. Just a little further. There was a corner just ahead, and if she could just make that turn...

"Anna why are you running away?"

She ignored the hurt in the older woman's voice and pressed onward. "Elsa!," she called over her shoulder. "You don't need to follow me." She tried to keep her voice light and playful, but she couldn't help the panic that seeped into it. "I'll meet you back at my room! Just... please just meet me there!" She said hurriedly, taking one last glance at the woman before twisting her body left. She had finally turned the corner and, as expected, her footsteps faded with her.

"What? Anna!" Elsa had had enough of these games. What was Anna running from? Her confusion lasted a moment before the sting of realization prodded and poke at her heart. Anna was running away from her. That fact was as obvious as much as it hurt. But the question that weighed heavy on her mind was why? Had she done something to upset the other girl?

Her fists tightened and her pace sped up. She should't have left so soon. She should have been there till she knew for certain that the younger girl was alright. A guilty though entered her mind, she didn't even bother to ask if she was.

She approached the corner and nearly slipped. Her ice slippers combined with her forward momentum did not make turning corners easy. She closed her eyes and threw her arms out in front of her. A strong gale of wind and snow blasted out from her finger tips and pushed against the quickly approaching wall. The opposite force of the wind was enough to slow her down, and she stopped just shy of a painful experience. Once she regained her balance she turned to face the hall, took a deep breath and yelled. "Anna! Anna stop right this..." Her calls died in her throat when her eyes finally peaked open. Elsa stumbled back and let out a shaking breath.

Her eyes widened.

If Anna had taken a right, then she wouldn't be trembling so badly. But as it was, right in front of her, right where Anna (and herself) had mistakenly thought to be a hall, was a solid stone wall.

What in the world?

Anna had gone left, she was sure of it.

A breeze blew past her and she shuddered lightly. Her arms instinctively rose up to wrap tightly around her middle. Was she going mad? Anna couldn't have disappeared into thin air. That was impossible. Right? Elsa shook her head and tried to calm her thoughts. She needed a moment. A moment to breath, to gather her thoughts, a moment to find the rationality in all this. Elsa turned around and leaned back against the wall.

Anna had wandered the castle all her life. She knew every nook and cranny. Maybe this was some sort of false wall? The theory made sense. It was the only thing that would explain how Anna was able to disappear like that.

Elsa pushed off the wall and turned around. She look at it a moment before pressing her hand against the stone and giving a light push. Hmm, it seems sturdy. She raised her other hand and knocked against various parts of the wall.

It sounded solid on all ends, but that couldn't be. Maybe she had missed a spot? Elsa crouched down low and stretch up high, knocking on every square stone she could reach. As the minutes passed her frustration grew. It grew along with the bruises that flamed across her bare knuckles. She knocked roughly against the stone one last time before giving up. A brief thought flew through her mind, and she contemplated the option of just blowing through the wall. But...no she shouldn't.

Finally fed up with the fruitless attempts she turned around and leaned against the wall once again.

Another breeze blew past her, but she paid it no heed. Her frustration from earlier diminished quick and it left her feeling tired. She closed her eyes tight when she felt a sting of wetness gather. Why would Anna run away from her like that? What was she hiding?

A giggle, soft and echoing, snapped her from her thoughts, and it forced her gaze up in quite alarm. Her heart rate picked up as her eyes quickly darted down the hall in front of her, looking for the source of the noise. That sound... that was the sound of a child's laughter. And if her knowledge of the staff and their corresponding ages were correct, then there shouldn't be anyone younger than Anna with in the castle grounds. Especially not one who possessed the voice as youthful as the one she'd just heard.

Goosebumps quickly rose across her skin and she wrapped her arms around her shoulders to rub them away. She was going mad then.

Another giggle sounded, followed closely by a light pattering of steps. It was coming from the hall opposite of her. Anna? Maybe she had seen wrong, maybe Anna had turned right at the bend. She blamed the mistake on the confusion that had been piling up over the past few days, and decided to pursue the noise.

Elsa slumped off the wall and her feet moved forward, determined to find the source of the faint laughter.

The longer she followed the noise, the more it sounded like it was coming from every direction. It echoed off the walls and caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. Right when she thought she had caught up to the steps, a soft laugh sounded from behind her. Elsa turned on her heels, "Who's there?" Her voice was tight and her heart pounded hard against her chest.

Another giggle.

And again it sounded from behind her.

Right behind her.

Her eyes widened and she whirled around, arms raised and posture strung tight.

"Surprise!" A ball of red yelled in excitement, jumping free from the shadows of a near by curtain.

Elsa's eyes grew large and her mouth fell open. She nearly tripped, stumbling back from the sight. "Anna?!"

Except this wasn't Anna. Anna was nearly twice as tall and nearly a decade or so older then the youthful apparition that appeared before her. Anna couldn't be standing in front of her as she was now.

It was impossible.

Elsa's hands flew to her mouth and quickly muffled the scream that blew past her lips.

A/N

Thanks again for the kind words! The reviews I've been receiving have been both encouraging and helpful and I appreciate each one.

Please don't hesitate to tell me if anything sounds off or confusing. If you're specific enough with any issue, then I'll try my best to fix them up as best I can. :3