A.N: This last chapter takes place at the end of the movie, after The Great Thaw.

"Wow! So you have ice powers! Elsa, that is so cool!" Anna was a bouncing ball of energy, excited and overjoyed and having yet to come down from her natural high.

Arendelle was unfrozen, back to its previous balmy summer weather, and they'd just bid a goodbye to Kristoff and Sven after having made it inside the castle gates. Olaf, after many promises made and plenty of placating, had agreed to stay outside with them, while the two princesses went inside the castle to catch up and talk for a much needed bonding session.

"How did this happen? Is this why you were always locked away in your room? Why didn't you tell me? Did Mother and Father-?"

"Anna, please, I will tell you everything in just a moment," Elsa promised her. She tugged on Anna's arm, trying to reign her in. "Please, calm down."

"Okay, okay."

They walked up the stairs and once they reached the proper floor, Elsa was a little confused on where to go next.

But, Anna had the solution as she pulled Elsa eagerly over to her chamber door. "Let's go to your room, Elsa!"

"Right, okay," Elsa stamped down the natural instinct that rose up within her to turn Anna away from the door and forced a smile on her face instead.

Opening the door, they entered the room, Anna looking around curiously. She took a seat by the unlit fire place, sitting down on one of the couches with a long winded sigh.

When Anna spoke her voice had lost most its pep and she seemed instantly sobered, filled with quiet reflection. "I remember when you and I used to share rooms."

"Yeah, that was such a long time ago." Elsa sat down next to her, giving off the same type of sigh as her sister.

"What happened, Elsa?"

Elsa took a moment to gather herself together. She knew exactly what Anna was asking about.

"Well, I . . ." she stopped short, just now realizing that her lead into for this particular tale no longer had any origin. "Anna, your hair," she whispered, shocked and bewildered, but not at all surprised.

"What?" Anna panicked, grabbing at her braids and looking them over. "Is my hair turning white again?"

"No, no," Elsa calmed her. "It's the white streak. It's gone. When you defrosted after saving me, it must have disappeared."

"It is?" Anna frowned, bringing up a hand to run over her strawberry blonde hair. "But, I thought I was born with it?"

"That's actually where my story starts, Anna. You see the white streak that was in your hair. That came from me."

"How?"

"You were five-years-old and we were playing in the ballroom, just like always. I was making it snow, and we made an Olaf and went ice-skating. I was making these large snow mounds for you to jump on, but then you started moving too fast and I couldn't catch you in time. I shot an ice beam at you and hit you in the head by accident. That's where your white hair came from." Despite the fact that everything had turned out alright in the end and Elsa had finally found a way to control her powers, the wave of guilt that washed over her features was unmistakable.

"I was so scared, because your body was ice cold and you weren't waking up. Father took us all to the Valley of the Living Rock in hopes of healing you. The troll mage did heal you, but he replaced all of your memories of my powers with false ones, so you would never remember that I had them. That's why I could never tell you, because I was a danger to you."

"Oh, Elsa," Anna reached out to comfort her sister, taking her hand in her own. She'd never imagined that it could be something as awful as that. Elsa had been forced to carry around this burden for so long, now. The guilt and despair in her dark blue eyes was piercing, and Anna didn't miss how Elsa's hand flinched at her touch.

"It's okay, Elsa."

Elsa gave her a watery smile, "It is now." She squeezed Anna's hand back.

As Anna processed everything she'd just been told, she still had another question. "So, the thing with the gloves? The forced isolation? Cutting yourself off from everyone?"

Knowing where Anna was going, Elsa nodded her head quickly. "Yes, it was all Father's idea. He was the one who first gave me my gloves. I was born with these powers, but as I got older they became harder to control. When I was twelve . . . that was when I became too afraid to touch anyone for fear of accidentally freezing them."

Anna remembered that time. Though Elsa never came out to play with her anymore, at least for awhile there, they'd had dinner together as a family every night and she'd also known that Elsa had interacted with their parents on a consistent basis. Whenever her mother or father couldn't be found, she'd instinctively known that one of them was with Elsa. She'd figured it out one day when she heard her mother softly singing to Elsa in her bedroom as she passed by. But then, when Anna was about nine, all of that had changed and Elsa became nothing more than a ghost that haunted the castle. What little Anna did see of her, had suddenly become practically non-existent, and she'd overheard her parent's discussing something very seriously quiet in Father's study late at night.

It was after her parent's death, that Elsa had been completely unreachable. A small twinge of anger and resentment twisted in Anna's stomach at the thought. She looked to Elsa, scrutinizing her, wondering how she could have abandoned her one and only sister like that.

As was her nature, Anna didn't waste any time beating around the bush. "Elsa . . . what about when Mother and Father died? Why didn't you come to the funeral?" Though her voice was still light and curious, Elsa couldn't help but notice Anna's hard undertone as she took away her hand and placed it in her own lap.

Elsa swallowed, knowing her sister would think her a coward and that they were treading into stormy waters. "It was very difficult for me to deal with their passing, Anna."

"Yeah, it was difficult for me, too," Anna couldn't help but interject.

"I know it was, Anna."

"How could you know?" Anna's voice was sharp and piercing, clearly feeling very angry, hurt and upset. "You were locked in your chambers all day and night. You listened to me cry and didn't even move a muscle! I needed you and you weren't there." Her words hit home, striking Elsa with each blow, like an anvil on her heart.

Elsa returned Anna's steely eyed gaze with her own overwhelmingly sad one, "I'm so sorry, Anna," she cried, tears welling up. "I know it was hard for you and I am so sorry for everything that I put you through. I know that I hurt you and I'm sorry." Elsa couldn't possibly convey her feelings in any other way than through her tearful pleas. "I hope you can forgive me one day. I truly am sorry, Anna."

Elsa continued unbidden, not allowing Anna a chance to respond and needing her to understand. "My powers are tied directly to my emotions, so if I'm angry I make an ice dagger, or when sad, I build up a snowstorm in my room. If I had attended the funeral in that sort of emotional state, I'm sure I would have killed everyone there. I was so sad and angry and confused. It would have been awful, Anna."

Anna was stricken, stunned into silence, not realizing the enormous depth of Elsa's powers. Until this moment, she hadn't understood how hard it must have been for Elsa to live that way and the lengths she went to keep herself in control.

As Elsa took a deep calming breath and wiped at her eyes, Anna quietly said, "I was really angry at you for a long time about that. I didn't understand how you could do something like that, just abandon me. But now," she reached out for Elsa's hand again, squeezing it in comfort, "I get it, Elsa. You were just trying to protect me by putting a barrier between us."

Elsa gave her a small smile, happy that she understood. "Father and Mother had always been the buffer between us growing up. And with them gone, I didn't know any other way to control myself around you, but to lock myself in my room."

Anna nodded, biting her lip. "It still really sucked."

Elsa choked out a sputtering laugh, bringing a smile to Anna's face. "It really did."

Both girls shared a meaningful look and taking a beat to come back together, Anna finally revealed, "You know, I sang for you all the time after Mother and Father died."

"What?"

"Do you remember that day sometime after, when I caught you in the hallway and you told me to never stop singing?"

Elsa nodded fervently, that day had been special for her, too.

"Elsa, you looked so calm and happy and for a second I saw the real you. It felt like that, anyway. Like, I was seeing a side of you that I'd never seen before. And then I realized that you'd been listening to me and that must have been why you were so happy."

There were tears in Elsa's eyes, ones of joy, as Anna continued, "So, I started singing everywhere I went around the castle, in hopes of you hearing me. It seemed to help you and it really helped me, too, so I just sang as loud as I could."

"Oh, Anna," Elsa's tears spilled over, her heart full in a way that it never had been before. Despite the ordeal the two sisters had just been through and Anna having risked her life multiple times for Elsa over the course of the past two days, she said, "I can't believe you would do that for me."

"Of course, Elsa, you are my sister. And like it or not, you're stuck with me."

Still gripping Anna's hand in her own, Elsa squeezed it gently, trying to convey all of the love she held for Anna in that one gesture. "I wouldn't have it any other way," she smiled warmly at her.

Returning the smile, Anna said, "So, I should probably tell you my story, too."

Elsa nodded in agreement. "Yes, please, I want to know more about this mysterious Kristoff of yours."

She was surprised to see that Anna was blushing, her cheeks blooming with pink and her light freckles almost disappearing underneath such a deep shade. "Do you like him, Anna?" Elsa ventured further.

"I don't know," Anna wrung her hands together. "I think I might love him. Maybe?" she questioned.

Then, "Probably," she confirmed.

Elsa's confused frown was replaced with laughter at Anna's response. "Well, then, get on with your story."

So, Anna told her about racing off after the coronation ball was ruined, meeting Kristoff and Olaf, the entire journey she'd taken to get to Elsa's ice palace and then quickly going over the visit with the trolls and eventually closing out her tale with Hans's betrayal.

"And then I realized that Kristoff loves me and that I need him to kiss me, instead of Hans. But, when I made it out into the storm, I had a choice. Either I could go to Kristoff and save myself . . . or go to you and rescue you. And well, you know the rest," she shrugged, all nonchalant, as if Anna was simply describing the weather instead of the single most important event in both of their lives.

Elsa looked to her in wonder, still trying to absorb everything Anna had done for her, finally saying, "Anna, you are amazing."

Anna nudged Elsa's shoulder. "You're not so bad yourself."

Throwing away every instinct she had telling her not to do so, Elsa scooted closer to Anna and drew an arm around her shoulders. Turning Anna to face her, she rested her forehead against Anna's and looked her straight in the eye. Taking her hands and holding on to both of them, Elsa took a deep, steadying breath.

"I make this vow to you, then. To never lock myself away again or hide any longer. To be the big sister I've always wanted to be. And to always build a snowman with you."

Elsa smiled, Anna's face filling her vision. She could see the tears in Anna's blue-green eyes and then she let go of her hands and threw her arms around Elsa, hugging her tight.

"Vow accepted, Elsa," Anna whispered in to her ear. "I forgive you."

Elsa squeezed her back tighter, elated and finally at peace for the first time in a long time.

Anna drew back from the embrace, both girls dabbing at their eyes and both feeling like their slate was wiped clean. All of their wounds were open and though some still bled, their scars would be born proudly. This was a new beginning for the both of them, an entirely new way of life. One that would be open and honest, loving and gracious as they rediscovered what once was lost to them all those years ago as children.

Suddenly, Anna piped up. "Well, I do believe we have a snowman of our own to attend to, Elsa."

"Oh, yeah," Elsa blinked, trying to remember the dozens of promises they'd made Olaf. "I don't even remember what we promised him."

"I think it had something to with hot chocolate."

Elsa nodded, thinking. "I should probably also explain to our subjects why I just set off an eternal winter over the entire kingdom."

Anna giggled, "Yeah, that too."

The two stood up together and without batting an eye, Anna looped her arm through Elsa's and they left the room side by side.

Elsa marveled at how easy the motion had been, like they'd been linking arms together for years, instead of this being the first time the two sisters had been so close to each other in ages. Elsa was not only getting used to touch, but found herself welcoming of it as well, slowly starting to turn her way of thinking around and breaking down that mental block.

Elsa felt buoyed by all of the hope and love blooming and taking root in her heart. It was refreshing, renewing and an all around a source of strength for the Snow Queen. For the first time in forever she truly felt ready to face the world, her courage only doubled by the sister at her side.

A.N: Okay, just so we're all clear on this, it turns out I used three songs within this story. The chapter titles came from Sia's, Breathe Me, then Natalie Merchant's, My Skin make it's one and only appearance in the first chapter, and Paradise Fear's, Battle Scars was the reason for the stories title.

I listened to all three of these songs while writing and I think it's clear how it comes across within the story itself. I also highly recommend all three of these songs/artists as all of them make great music.

I hope you enjoyed reading and thank you so much for doing so!

And FYI, I think I will write a sequel for this that deals with the sister's rekindled relationship and developing Kristanna, along with Elsa settling into her new role as Queen. So, yay! Wish me luck!

If you have any ideas that deal with the subjects listed above, feel free to message me, since I've already got about half the story planned out as it is, but I need more interesting ideas on how to move the story along. I promise that I don't bite and would welcome the creative juices greatly, so whatever you might have, please message me!

Please, and thank you again for reading!