17 years ago

"Kristoff, you're gonna pay for this!" Anna somehow spoke clearly before she groaned again.

By then, Kristoff knew to be just far away from Anna's reach, but not any further away. Right now, she kept her hands to herself as she laid in bed, and the doctors and nurses got ready to start their delivery.

"You're doing great, Anna," Kristoff used his go-to phrase. "We're going to meet our baby any minute now."

"What's wrong with now?" Anna moaned through the pain.

"Well, now we know the kid got its patience from me, anyway," Kristoff tried to lighten up. He paid for it when Anna's reach was longer than he calculated.

Grasping the bottom of his shirt, Anna ordered, "That's enough of that, okay? Mother knows best, right?!"

"Um….technically…." Kristoff failed to show concern for his own life.

"Almost mother, then!" Anna corrected, before yelling again. "You're lucky I don't cram something big into you! They're taking something big outta me, so it's only fair!"

"Um….whatever you say," Kristoff agreed for his own good, while praying she wouldn't remember her wish later. So he stayed quiet and serious to be absolutely sure – and to make sure his wife was all right, of course.

Anna kept groaning and pushing, albeit not ear-splittingly loud by her standards. Elsa wasn't rushing into the room in a panic, so that was a good sign. Joking about how she was quieter than usual – that would have been a good one to get threatened over.

"I'll be fine, I said. I crashed into everything in here 20 times, how much can this hurt, I said!" Anna ranted. At least she was saying it first. Before Kristoff could say anything else, Anna threw her head back and everyone knew the time for jokes were over.

The next few minutes went by in a blinding, unstoppable blizzard even stronger than ice magic. The pain, panic, exhilaration and joy was soon too much for Anna to comprehend. All she could do was push and desperately try to keep her head on straight.

She had to for her….

"It's a girl!"

When Anna heard that, she could register that the pain was gone. She could then register the other noises around her.

Including the loudest but most beautiful cry she'd ever heard.

Anna heard her own tears through 13 years of sadness. She realized she'd heard Elsa's silent sobs through the door so many times in those 13 years. She heard Elsa cry in her arms, and vice versa, after the Thaw with both sadness and happiness.

But nothing sounded more profound to Anna than the first cries of her daughter.

Nothing felt more profound when she was placed into her arms moments later.

At that point, she recognized Kristoff coming back, although she zoned out as he kissed her head and said his words of pride. She was in a kind of daze when he looked down at his daughter for the first time. She started coming out of it when she got her first good look, and was almost out by the time Kristoff left the bedroom to inform Elsa.

He left just before their daughter opened her eyes.

"It's you…." Anna breathed out, almost unsure that she wasn't back in time, 21 years ago. But then Anna would be her own mom holding herself as a baby, and that would be too weird. This wasn't the time for weird, though.

The baby looked almost awestruck as she got her first good look at Anna. Elsa was the one who made people look that way, with her powers and looks and whatnot. But this little person was looking at her like she was….on an Elsa like level.

Even though she was the true sight to see.

"You're gorgeous…." Anna said truthfully. "And I….I made you?" She felt the first tear go down her cheek. "I made you….wow, if my art teachers could see me now…."

She finally felt a laugh get halfway up her throat. "Sorry, I know you don't get it yet. But you will. I'll be talking your ears off so much, you'll have to, right?" She laughed more heartily as she continued, "Here I go, talking on and on again to something that'll never talk back…."

But she would eventually.

This was one beautiful, brave, perfect redhead who would listen to her in silence….and then love her loudly. Hopefully, if Anna did something right. But if she hung in there, raised her and loved her right, Anna would hear her daughter's love for the rest of her life.

She would never be overdue for real company again.

"Joan…." Anna realized the answer to a question she'd asked for nine months. After all that, it was the simplest answer in the world.

When Kristoff returned, Anna didn't notice the downbeat look on his face. She just said, "Your daughter's name is Joan."

"Huh?" Kristoff snapped back to attention, then went back to his family's side. He studied his daughter, thought about how and why Anna would think of that name – and realized he really was looking at Joan.

"It's good to meet you, Joan," Kristoff tried out, and quickly liked it. Anna loved it, him and her even more.

After they had their temporary fill of admiring their new baby, Kristoff remembered, "Elsa doesn't think it'd be good to meet her yet. Not until she stops being afraid forever or something."

"Figures," Anna conceded. "Well….if she's not coming to her, then she'll have to– "

"Way ahead of you. Just needed to make sure you were good with it first," Kristoff admitted before taking Joan. Anna watched in awe of their mental synchronization, then awed at her daughter before Kristoff took her to meet her aunt.

Minutes later, the whole family came in to awe at Anna. But Elsa's awe was still mostly on the baby in her arms. "Was that so hard?" Anna teased when Elsa got close enough.

"Not any harder than what you went through," Elsa admitted. "But look what you got out of it."

"I know," Anna smiled, the full weight of it really hitting her. "Come on, get in here…."

Although Anna just gave birth on these sheets, Elsa handed Joan over and laid beside her mother on her right, while Kristoff went to sit on her left.

The family didn't part for a good long while. Not even when Joan started crying in her best Anna imitation.

10 years ago

"It won't be so bad this time, I said. I know what I'm doing now, I said! I can take it this time, I – OH, SON OF!"

Anna's unfinished curse gave way to gibberish groans, as the baby kept making its way out. She really did think she was better equipped to handle this a second time. But since last time was seven years ago, she was rustier than she thought.

Kristoff had things down pat this time, though. He didn't say anything dumb and stayed within range and everything. Of course, since he didn't have to push the kid of a mountain man out for a second time, he wasn't exactly doing the heavy lifting.

Anna bared herself for the final push, blocking out everything around her except the doctor's orders. She was more aware of the world around her this time, if only barely. The pain was still overwhelming – but once again, it all ended in an instant before she knew it.

"It's a boy!"

That part was different, though.

So was the part where the baby was placed into Anna's arms without making a sound. For all the fuss it….he took to get here, he was all quiet and peaceful now. Like Anna pretended to be, before anyone could catch her doing something ill-advised.

Maybe this one was a more secret trouble maker. Maybe he….

Yet when Anna took a good look at him, he was only one thing to her.

Absolutely perfect.

In the back of her mind, Anna had feared the novelty of child birth, and child raising, would wear off with a second baby. That Joan had set such a high bar, the new baby might not measure up in the deepest, darkest parts of Anna's brain. That since she'd already gone through this, it wouldn't be as amazing to her the second time.

As usual, she was way off.

This baby was a boy. This baby was quiet. This baby was the second-in-line in her branch of the family. The spare, some could call it.

And Anna was instantly in love anyway.

Obviously Kristoff was too, but she checked to make sure. And she was right on that, at least.

"So this is what a baby boy looks like," Kristoff commented, his hand brushing the bottom of his son's chin. "Can't imagine what this is like for you."

Anna just gazed down at her son with tears on the edge of her eyes. In case they weren't the good kind of tears, Kristoff asked, "Are you….sure you're up for a boy? After being around girls all your life?"

"I got you straightened out, didn't I?" Anna chuckled. But after wiping her eyes, she put a hand on Kristoff more reassuringly. "At least when you weren't straightening me out. And you gave me this again anyway….trust me, I'm not gonna waste it. Boy or not, he's mine. He's ours…."

Kristoff bent down to kiss Anna in thanks, then his son. Anna started breathing the word "Kristoff" but only got as far as Kris before she started thinking.

"Kris….Chris….Christopher? No, too obvious," Anna pondered. She thought a while longer before she worked out, "Christian."

"Christian?" Kristoff repeated.

"Sounds like part of your name, without being a total ripoff," Anna defended. "I like how that works."

"Similar, but different," Kristoff thought it over. "Yeah….that fits this family, doesn't it?"

"This family…." Anna caught herself from sobbing again. She really had a family of a mom, dad and two kids again. With her – her of all people – as the mom.

Before she totally lost it, Anna asked Kristoff to send for the aunt and daughter of the family. This left her alone with Christian, although it wouldn't be for long. It better not be, since Elsa knew better than to be scared of another baby. Hopefully.

Yet when Anna looked down at calm, sweet little Christian, that little worry got washed away.

Silence had been Anna's enemy for so many years – especially when it made her loneliness even clearer. But at this moment, for maybe the first time in her life, she didn't mind that she could barely hear a pin drop.

Present day

"Just keep going!" Anna yelled over the flurries and wind to the doctors in Elsa's bedroom. "I got this, you get her!"

With that, the doctors braced themselves as the room got colder. Anna didn't miss a step as she rushed back to Elsa's side, grabbing her hand despite its drop in temperature.

"Elsa, you can do this," Anna assured. "Just push, listen to me and block everything else out!"

"It hurts…." Elsa confessed. If she was admitting that right away, without even trying to hide it like usual, it really must have hurt. "What if it….what if I…."

"No more what if's!" Anna demanded. "We didn't come this far to get tripped up by fake, scary futures! Okay? I got you and I'm not letting go until your baby gets here!"

This was the kind of command worthy of a bigger sister and Queen. It was a rare talent Anna had to get in that mode, but it wasn't so rare in recent months.

It was Anna who figured out that since there were no records of ice witches giving birth – not officially, anyway – they had wiggle room to get away with anything. When Elsa showed earlier than anyone expected, Anna helped explain that with her powers, she'd have a more accelerated birth.

Since they would know better than anyone and since they were the rulers of Arendelle, they didn't face many questions. If someone went around them and asked the trolls, they knew how to lie and confuse them with mumbo jumbo.

It was Anna who made Elsa stay in bed the last two months, in case there were nitpickers. She would stay under the covers and keep her bump hidden to visitors, and Anna and Robert conducted outside business on her behalf. Joan also tagged along to learn under them as well.

It was Anna who comforted Elsa when her fears over having, delivering, raising and freezing a baby became overwhelming. Robert did his part too, but he had to accept Anna had more seniority in calming her down – even with that 13 year break.

And it was Anna in command now, as Elsa tried to keep her powers and anxieties at bay and the doctors tried to brave through the weather. Elsa knew she had to calm down so the baby could be delivered safely and warmly. But knowing was easier than doing – like it was back in her childhood.

"She could come out wrong…." Elsa feared. "She could freeze before I even touch her. She could have powers worse than mine…..I, I can't…"

"You can!" Anna insisted. However, she knew that taking such a tone wasn't helpful with her. So she'd need another tried and true method.

"Remember the first time we visited the orphanage together?" Anna reminded. "Remember when that little girl lit up and touched those big snowflakes you made? Remember that little tear you tried to hide from me, huh?"

Elsa groaned and pushed, yet Anna could feel the room warming up.

"Remember the first time one of them hugged you and you didn't flinch, and they didn't freeze? I'm sure you remember the first time Joan and Christian said your name too. You gotta remember when they first said 'I love you' too," Anna figured.

Elsa kept breathing heavy, yet she let Anna take her hand back and feel that it wasn't so….icy.

"Remember every time I cried and you made me feel better. Before and after the isolation. Remember how emotional you get when you see little teenaged sisters playing together. Remember every time you've rocked my kids to sleep when I couldn't. When you sing to them and spoil them and let yourself love them so much…." Anna got emotional herself.

"God, you're not even a mother yet, and you're the best mother I've ever known," Anna admitted. "Everything you are and everything you've done tells me that. I wouldn't be a real mother without it. Heck, I wouldn't be here at all without it! Because you saved me for 13 years and every day after that!"

Elsa was finally quiet and touched, until the next time she had to push. When it winded down, Anna finished, "If anyone deserves this, it's you. So be brave, like you always are, and let another person start seeing you as their hero."

The ice around the room was almost gone, and the doctors weren't shivering anymore. When Elsa felt and saw all that, she took a breath and said, "I think it's safe to let Robert back in."

When Elsa's labor started getting colder, it took everything she had to make him get out for his own safety. Since she had nothing left to convince Anna and she wouldn't have gone either way, it made Anna's pep talk possible. Her reward now was to go over and bring Robert back.

Kristoff, Joan and Christian were also waiting in the halls, yet only Robert stepped forward. Anna gave brief assurances to the others that Elsa was doing better, then closed the door and led Robert over to his wife.

At that point, Anna finally stepped back and let someone else calm Elsa down. Since she warmed her up for Robert, it was easier.

It was one of those rare times where Anna really felt like she took care of her, as much as she took care of everyone all her life. As much as she would for her baby – like she did with Anna's babies.

"I'm sorry," Elsa got out after Robert finished kissing her. "I didn't want to…."

"You didn't. And you won't," Robert promised. "You won't do anything but welcome our baby."

"Our baby…." Elsa reflected. "My….oh God, it's really happening…."

It was better than being afraid it wouldn't come. Or that it wouldn't be normal. Or that she wouldn't get to see it. With that progress clear, Anna felt light as she came back to Elsa's right.

"All right, just a few more pushes, and we should be good," the doctor promised. "Are you ready, Your Majesty?"

She finally answered with every bit of her heart, "Yes."

Robert took her left hand, while Anna took her right, and both barely needed to pull away from the cold. Even if they could, Elsa's grip was too great by then.

In those final pushes, the woman who avoided touch for 13 years couldn't let go of two hands. The woman who gave up on having a little sister was overseen by Anna, as if she were the big one. The woman who never dreamed of true love until she was well into her 30's, was encouraged by the only lover she'd ever have.

The woman whose body was only strong enough to deliver one child, used all the strength she had left to get it out.

The woman who barely regarded herself as a daughter or sister for much of her life, was about to become a mother.

And the woman who figured she'd never become a mother – and that she didn't deserve to be one – then heard the cry of her own child for the first time.

The cry of her daughter.

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Elsa overcame her fears to hold Joan for the first time 17 years ago. She didn't have any when she first held Christian 10 years ago. But since this was her own child, she knew those fears would return at the first opportunity.

Which was why Robert placed her baby girl in her arms before she could think about it now.

For a split second, those fears bounced back. But it was too late as soon as Elsa saw her baby.

Her skin wasn't a regular pink like Anna's, but neither was it ultra pale like Elsa's. She had a tuft of platinum blond hair, but not incredibly deep. And when her eyes opened, she saw warmth and light with just a tinge of icy blue inside.

She was even crying more than Elsa probably did in her first moments, if her mother's old stories were anything to go on. She was not a clone of Elsa – but she was still undoubtedly hers.

She wasn't even showing any powers, although she was already warned they could take months to emerge. For this moment, at least, she was as normal a baby as Elsa could have asked for.

Part of that made her cry in a sad way. She couldn't deny that much.

But the rest of the tears she cried were joyous ones. She would never forget that as long as she lived.

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Anna stood next to the bed as Robert kissed a teary Elsa, while she held onto their baby daughter. She watched Robert look down and examine her, willing to give the father his turn. Hers would come soon enough, she told herself.

Before long, Anna saw that Elsa was whispering something to Robert. He nodded without a word, as they seemed to communicate other things without words as well. They always had that scary "talking without really talking" power of married couples down pat quick, although she and Kristoff still had them beat by about a year.

In any case, Robert kissed his daughter and then left the room, leaving Anna as the only family member left with the mother and baby. She figured he'd tell Kristoff and the kids and they'd come in any minute. This left her little time to bond with her new niece off the bat.

Anna reached out to get Elsa's attention, unsure of how much she'd be able or willing to say. But she soon heard one word from her.

"Annabelle."

Anna frowned, saying, "You got half of it right," hoping memory loss wasn't a delayed side effect for Elsa.

"I wasn't saying your name," Elsa corrected.

All she did after that was look down at her baby. Anna looked down as well, putting the pieces together – and then nearly fell on her back when she did.

"You didn't…." Anna stammered. "That's not, she isn't….wait, WHAT?!"

While Anna was freaking out, Elsa was perfectly still. It was a time honored formula – at least while they were together.

"It's been 20 years," Elsa said. "Like you said, I spent my first 20 years alone and scared. I've spent the last 20 free and happy. And no matter what you might say, it's all because of you. And your family."

In the blink of an eye, Elsa looked over to the door, which started to open. Anna didn't notice her husband, children and brother-in-law now watching her and her sister. Elsa did, yet went on like nothing was happening – like she planned it.

"Anna, you're the hero of the family. You're my hero. I knew that well before you took care of me and my baby," Elsa explained. "And I knew before I could even dream of having kids, that…..if I ever had a girl, I wanted her to have your name. Now I can give it to her."

Robert quietly went into the room, followed by Kristoff, Joan and Christian. The latter three were still bowled over from Elsa's words, albeit not to the extent that Anna was.

"This is my daughter. But she wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. She'll be raised to be a Queen, but….I'll be the proudest mother in the world if she grows up like her aunt Anna too," Elsa wished. "But no matter what, there'll be at least one Queen named Anna in the future."

"Annabelle…." Anna corrected, barely making herself heard.

"A similar but different name. I think that fits well in this family," Elsa unknowingly echoed. "So, with that out of the way…..would you like to hold little Annabelle, Anna?"

Anna could barely see her through her silent tears, much less hold her. Much less move her hands, even. She still failed to see the rest of her family nearby – including the look of pride on Kristoff's face, and the look of awe on Joan and Christian's. Both at their new cousin and at their mother.

At last, Anna tentatively raised her arms. Elsa held her baby carefully, like she practiced with little snowman babies for months. She willed herself not to think about how cold or warm her daughter was in her arms, and successfully passed her off to someone even warmer.

Anna let out a gasp when Annabelle was secure in her arms. She hadn't held a tiny baby – at least one related to her – in such a long, long time, so she could have been rusty. She could have been a lot of things that didn't deserve to have a baby named after her.

But soon, it was like Anna never forgot how to do it. Despite how out of practice she was – and how her own children were growing up all too soon – Anna held little Annabelle as carefully as she would her own child. She was rewarded by the little one looking up and seeing her aunt for the first time.

Anna was as speechless as she was the first time she saw Joan. One would never guess that she was, and still is sometimes, one of the clumsiest princesses in the realm. In this moment, she held Annabelle like she was the most fragile piece of ice in Arendelle.

Yet when she knew she'd be okay, she held her closer like…..well, a newborn babe.

Everyone watched quietly as Anna held her niece with her left arm, then reached for her with her right hand. She laid her index finger under her chin, watching carefully for any discomfort. "So warm….like her mama," Anna said after rubbing her chin.

Her mommy looked on in silent reverence, once again amazed at how her little Anna could be….like this. So careful and comforting and natural, without any clumsiness, fear or awkwardness. Not for the first time, Elsa doubted that she could be half the mother her sister was.

"Hello, little baby," Anna said quietly. "So….you're a princess, just like me. With a name just like me. Which apparently is a good thing these days." She paused and then finally noticed her kids. "Oh, where are my manners? These are your cousins, Joan and Christian."

Joan stood next to Anna, getting her first up close look at her new cousin. She stretched her index finger out and lightly tapped her nose.

"Hi," she said. "Do you remember me? Or my voice?" Undeterred by the fact that she wouldn't answer, Joan clarified, "Well, I'm going to keep talking to you anyway. Even when you can talk back. Okay?"

"Me too!" Christian chimed in on Anna's right.

"On the off chance they take a break, I'll take a shot too," Kristoff added.

"Well, her dad should get talking dibs on most nights. Shouldn't I?" Robert asked her daughter. "Her silence means yes. That's the only time it means that, but it counts."

"Well, we know she didn't get that from her mother," Anna jabbed. But when Annabelle started cooing, everyone quieted down as Anna started rocking her.

"We're so happy to meet you," Anna told her namesake. "No matter what your name is. We've been waiting a long time for you." She paused and added, "But not as long as your mama. She's who you really need to look up to. Why don't we get a head start on that, okay?"

A little noise was heard from the baby, which Anna took as approval. She reached out and handed her back to Elsa, who was now more aware of all the eyes on her. Her self-consciousness returned as she held Annabelle, without her love for Anna and need to honor Anna as a distraction.

Yet it was Anna who trusted her to forge a bond with her daughter first.

As Elsa tried to do that, Anna looked to her own children. After hearing Elsa pay tribute to her, with both her words and the name for her baby, they felt even more proud to be Anna's children. Annabelle may have had their mother's name, but she was still their mom – with all the years of hugs, cuddles and love that went with it.

Joan gave her a one armed hug of her own, while Christian cuddled next to her waist and Kristoff stood closely behind them. Robert went over to the other side of the bed, silently thanking Anna again for everything.

He already knew quite well there was no way Elsa wouldn't name a baby girl after her, no matter what. But the last several months did make her wife look smarter for it. She already looked like so many other wonderful things as she held their daughter.

"You did it, Elsa," Robert told her, not wanting her to give Anna all the credit. "It was all worth it."

"Yes, it was," Elsa agreed, gazing at Annabelle. "Yes, she is."

Yes, all of them were.

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When Elsa got the first feeding done and got Annabelle ready for her first nap, the others had to be on their way. However, Anna remembered one last thing she had to do first.

Instead of explaining herself, she rushed out of the bedroom, giving Elsa time to say goodnight to Kristoff, Joan and Christian. Just as they were ready to go, Anna came back in.

She ran over to the bed, even with her hands right behind her back. "I don't know what she can do or not yet," she started. "But I want this to be the first gift I give her. And I really want it to be the first thing she ever plays with. Namesake's orders."

Elsa wrapped her mind around that concept, but went blank when Anna revealed her gift.

Anna kept her little Elsa doll throughout the good times, and the horrible times of her childhood. When the open doors era started, she had it modified to include Elsa's new hairstyle and Snow Queen clothes.

When Joan was born, she passed it on to her, and then let Christian have a crack at it. But when he got too old for dolls too, Anna took it back and kept it as well preserved as a 40-year-old doll could be.

Now she was ready to pass it on all over again. For good this time.

"Even when you're busy, she should always have you around in some way. Don't you think?" Anna asked as she held up the Elsa doll. Annabelle still had her eyes closed, but Elsa's were wide open and filled with tears and love anew.

"She always will," Elsa agreed, as Anna laid the doll on the pillow next to her. "And it should go well with the first gift I'm going to give her."

"What…." Anna started asking, before she realized she didn't have to ask.

All she had to do was kiss her beloved sister's cheek, and her soon to be equally beloved niece's nose, really.

One year later

Little Annabelle couldn't stop crashing her Elsa and Anna dolls together in her crib. Ultimately, she decided to make them fly.

She didn't fling them too high up in the air, though.

But the snowflakes that also left her hands went higher.

Happy Mother's Day