AN: This started out as part of "A Musical Collection" but it quickly got out of hand and turned into its own story. It takes place about a month after the thaw. Anna is trying to come to terms with the idea that she once knew about her sister's magic. Elsa tries to help.

(Complete. Total of 4 chapters to be posted over the next week in celebration of Frozen month and the end of summer term! Also, I should probably study instead of write fanfictions. Oh well. You guys seem to enjoy this stuff and I do too. Hope you like this one! Same theme as always - sisterly love that can be construed as incest if you insist.)

Anna stood still, staring up at the old family portrait. It was the last one containing the late king and queen with both of their daughters. We were so little, Anna reminisced. She had barely turned four and was hard-pressed to hold still, though the painter had constructed her likeness despite her constant movement. Seven-year-old Elsa was already impeccably mannered and stared out of the portrait shyly. The artist had captured her sister's face the way it once was – without a trace of pain, guilt, or fear. Anna stared up at the image and sighed. What was it like, Elsa? What was it really like? What were you like?

She was disturbed from her musing by the feeling that someone was watching her. She turned her head to find Elsa standing in the doorway, looking as if she'd stepped in but stopped short in surprise, staring at her in concern. I guess I'm not known for being quiet and pensive, Anna remarked to herself.

"Anna?" Elsa's voice was soft and hesitant. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, of course!" Anna exclaimed, trying to wave off her abnormal behavior. Elsa became visibly worried and Anna caved if only to keep the growing fear off of her sister's face. "I was just… wondering."

"About what?" Elsa asked, moving closer.

"About what it was like," Anna blurted out in frustration. "I can't remember, Elsa. I can't even remember how much I don't remember! All I know is what you've told me - that there was an accident with your magic and the trolls had to remove my memories of everything you could do. I want to know how it was, playing with your magic back then. Back when we were together and you weren't so afraid of yourself!" Elsa turned her head sharply down and Anna stopped speaking. She could see her sister's frown and her frustration evaporated.

"I'm so sorry, Anna." The guilty whisper galvanized Anna into action. She quickly but carefully approached Elsa and wrapped her arms around her sister.

"It's okay," she insisted, heart sinking at the way Elsa tensed up.

"It's really not," Elsa argued. "It was unfair of them to take your memories away like that. They belonged to you." Anna paused, then nodded in agreement.

"Maybe so, but it's not your fault, Elsa. It really isn't. You were just a little kid, too!"

"I should have stood up for you," Elsa muttered. "I should have fought for us."

"You did, Elsa. Every day you were locked away. I know you tried to fix this. I know you tried to be safe for me. You just didn't realize that you already were. You always were. Oh, Elsa… please don't cry. I…" Anna trailed off helplessly as Elsa tried to stifle her sobs and turned so Anna couldn't see her tears. Anna buried her face in Elsa's back and held tighter to the slim queen as she wept.

"I forgive you completely, Elsa, for all of those lost years. You know that. But I still wish I could remember. I wish I could remember you better."

"Why?" The soft response came shakily.

"Because I love you! My memories are incomplete and I'm missing part of you. And now that I know there's something missing, I can't stand not knowing. I want to know and remember every part of you, Elsa." Anna rested her chin on Elsa's shoulder and kept holding her close from behind. "Magic included." There was silence as Elsa tried to control her tears and Anna pressed her face against Elsa's neck in an attempt to soothe her.

"You deserve it," Elsa said finally. "You deserve to have your memories back. We'll go to the trolls at once. Perhaps they can restore what was taken from you."

"Wait, really?" Anna asked, shocked by the possibility. She let her arms fall away and Elsa turned to face her again.

"All we can do is try," Elsa shrugged. "This is really bothering you, isn't it." Anna looked down and nodded shamefully.

"I feel like I'm missing out on you, still," Anna whispered, but smiled when Elsa moved close to lift her chin.

"Then we'll try to fix it. Okay?"

"Okay."

"I've spoken to everyone who needs to know about our mission," Elsa informed Anna later that morning. "Kai will keep watch over the castle, and the council is on standby for anything important. I doubt we will be away for long, but I told them to prepare for us to be gone until tomorrow at least."

"We'll spend the night with the trolls?"

"If we have to. If we don't, I'll make us an ice house to stay in temporarily and we'll have a little vacation in the mountains, just us. What do you say?" Anna squealed in excitement and bounded outside. They mounted their horses and rode out into the countryside. Anna could tell Elsa was already deep in thought. She rode with a frown and the air around her was growing chilly.

"Elsa?" Anna called as she maneuvered to ride beside her. The queen looked over, brought out of her reverie.

"Yes, Anna?"

"Are you all right?" concern lingered in Anna's voice as she looked searchingly at her older sister. Elsa sighed.

"Yes, it's just that the last time I visited the trolls… well, it's not a pleasant memory."

"Oh," Anna replied simply. She didn't know what to say, so she rode in silence beside Elsa as she brooded.

They were not rushing by any means, but the journey seemed to go quickly. They tied up their horses near the troll clearing and walked together down the forest path. Anna took Elsa's hand as they moved and the queen smiled a little for a moment. Eventually they entered the rock-filled area.

"Hello?" Elsa called, sounding more like a frightened child than a powerful queen. Anna wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned into her side to comfort her.

"Grandpabbie?" Anna called. Soon enough, the rocks around them began to move. Elsa nearly jumped out of her skin, but Anna was there to hold onto her and keep her from panicking. Before the trolls could begin chattering, Anna spoke up.

"Please, we need to see Grandpabbie. It's important!" A low murmuring answered her, but her expression and Elsa's obvious unease prevented them from starting a song. Before too long the troll patriarch appeared. He dismissed the gathering with the wave of his hand, and the sisters knelt to speak with him.

"Queen Elsa, Princess Anna," he greeted them solemnly. Elsa was staring at him in open fright, obviously at war with her memories.

"Do not be afraid," he murmured to the shaken queen. "I will not take her away from you again. I promise." And Elsa relaxed slightly, though Anna looked at them both in slight confusion. Elsa nodded in understanding and let Anna hold her to her side as they sat on the ground.

"What have you come to find?" the ancient being asked, looking at both sisters.

"Can you restore the memories you took from Anna all those years ago?" Elsa asked quietly. A great sadness seemed to come over the elderly troll as he looked at the young women.

"I cannot, Your Majesty. The magical pieces of those memories were destroyed along with the ice that was in her head. They cannot be recovered." Before Elsa could even begin to fall into despair, he spoke again.

"There is… another way. It will not be easy or pleasant, but it can be done."

"How?" Anna asked eagerly, moving forward. Elsa restrained her gently with one arm.

"Whatever it is, no harm may come to Anna. Am I understood?" Elsa's words were guarded and firm. Grandpabbie nodded with a smile.

"She will be fine," he reassured her. "The burden of this procedure will fall on you."

"Me? How?" Elsa asked as Anna looked between the two in increasing concern.

"I will copy your memories for her. She will remember the complete version of these things, but it will be from outside of herself - through your eyes. She will see what you saw, and feel what you felt. This will require you to be extremely vulnerable and completely open as I retrieve your memories. If your magic pushes me back, I cannot perform the process. I will put you to sleep to collect your memories. After I extract them, I will copy them. Then I will put Anna to sleep and introduce them to her first. Once they are settled and she has recovered, I will return them to you. The hardest part is that you will also be made to re-live these experiences as I put them back into your mind. That means… when you wake up it will seem to you as though you had just lost her. The confusion will pass as your mind rights itself, but it will be a very difficult experience for you."

"Elsa…" Anna gasped. Though the queen had stiffened and her body was chilled with fear, she spoke firmly.

"That is no matter. We will proceed."

"Elsa, are you sure? I mean, that sounds awful for you. I don't want…"

"You deserve this, Anna. I want your memories to be whole. They may not be exactly what they were, but at least you will have something real. I owe you that much at least." She turned to Grandpabbie and nodded. "You may do as you have said."

"But Elsa…"

"Anna, I want this. Please do not argue with me." Her stern tone made the girl's eyes go wide and she stopped talking abruptly.

"If you will, sir," Elsa addressed Grandpabbie.

"Very well. Both of you, please follow me." They trailed behind the stumpy creature up the hillside to the opening of a shallow cave. Inside stood a large bed made of moss and grass laden with pillows and blankets. Grandpabbie gestured for the two women to lie down, which they did side by side.

"Are you ready?" he asked Elsa. She turned to look at Anna for reassurance, and the girl was quick to take Elsa's hand and squeeze it gently. Encouraged, Elsa nodded and lay still. The troll waddled to the bedside and placed a rough hand on Elsa's forehead. Within seconds, her body went limp and her hand fell from Anna's grasp. The younger girl watched worriedly as Grandpabbie's magic seeped into her sister's body. After a point, it ceased to spread. When Anna looked up, she saw the troll frowning.

"Her magic is putting up a fight," he informed her. "It's a self-defense mechanism that is much, much stronger than when she was a child and I pulled the ice from your head. I was right to keep you awake for this part of the process, Princess Anna, for I seem to be in need of your help."

"My help? What could I possibly do?" Anna asked incredulously.

"Elsa's feelings and her magic are closely intertwined," he informed her. "Have you ever calmed her down from strong emotions before? If so, do now what you did then, and I should be able to get through." She nodded in understanding and shifted closer to Elsa's still form. Anna wasn't sure her sister could hear her, but she did what had always seemed to work best. Anna pulled Elsa's limp body into her arms and held her close.

"Shh, Elsa, it's all right," she murmured. She reached a hand up and stroked her sister's face. "I'm right here, and all is well. I love you. Rest, Elsa. Rest," she whispered gently and began to hum a soft song. She could feel Elsa trustingly relax into her embrace just as she had done so many times since their reunion. She continued to hum to her sleeping sister even after Grandpabbie finished removing Elsa's memories. They were like hundreds of glowing beads on a string, dancing between his hands. As he duplicated them, Grandpabbie examined each one. When he was done, he turned to Anna.

"Everything is ready. It is time for you to sleep, Anna."

"But… what will happen to Elsa?" She asked, holding tightly to the unconscious form. "I don't want her to wake up alone!"

"Don't worry," Grandpabbie smiled. "I will wake you before I perform this magic on her. When I give these memories to you, they will appear as a series of very vivid dreams. It will feel as though a long time has passed as your mind sifts through them, though it will only take a few minutes. At the end, you will wake and feel as if these events have just transpired. Your confusion will be short-lived, and once you are settled we will tend to your sister." Anna took a moment to think about that information, but she eventually nodded.

"I'm ready," she said, though fear filled her eyes as Grandpabbie approached her head with a glowing hand. She clutched Elsa's hand tightly in the seconds before the magic rendered her unconscious.