DISCLAIMER: All of the places and characters in this story belong to Disney and are inspired by the work of Hans Christian Andersen. No profit is being made from this story. It only serves to (hopefully) entertain.

Rated T for some sensuality, language, and topics that may be upsetting/unsettling in nature. Trigger warning: pregnancy and childbirth.


Chapter One

"Oof."

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just a bit crampy, and there's the occasional kick. Nothing unusual."

"It's been happening a lot today, though. You sure you're alright?"

Anna was laying beside Kristoff in their bed, massaging her heavily rounded belly through her cotton nightdress. She shifted her gaze toward her husband, azure eyes narrowed and mouth curled up into an all-knowing smirk.

"Kristoff, I'm fine. Don't worry."

"You say that as if it were a legitimate option," he argued.

"It is!" she laughed. "It's sweet than you're concerned, but really, I'm okay. We're both okay. Remember how many nights Petra kept me up with her kicking? This is tame by comparison."

"Yeah, but still..." Kristoff huffed.

Kristoff knew she was right; he remembered all too well how many nights Anna went with little sleep during her first pregnancy thanks to their unborn daughter making a habit of dancing after sunset. This one, at least, seemed to recognize the importance of resting at night.

"Still what?"

"It's my job to worry about you," Kristoff murmured, reaching a hand over to rub her tummy.

Anna smiled. "I know."

Kristoff winced as Anna groaned again and squeezed her eyes shut for just a moment. The baby wasn't due for a few more weeks, but Anna's discomfort was already escalating at what seemed like a much faster pace than it had the first time around. Kristoff's massages could only do so much for her swollen ankles and back pains, and he desperately wished there was more he could do. He felt incredibly useless sometimes.

"Ooh," she hummed, "I hope she doesn't know how much trouble she's causing me. I don't want her feeling bad."

Kristoff smirked. Right around the time her tummy had begun to show, Anna told him she was sure they were going to have another daughter; she'd said she could just feel it. Kristoff honestly didn't care what gender their second child turned out to be, but he'd countered her for fun, and the banter about it had been a playful game between them ever since.

"Anna, please stop referring to our son as she."

"Still convinced it's a boy, huh?"

"I know it's a boy," Kristoff laughed. "It has to be! We already have a girl."

"That doesn't mean anything! We can have two girls."

"I know," Kristoff continued with a chuckle, "but this time, we're having a son, and he's going to look just like me. You'll see."

"That's not fair!" Anna whined. "What about me?"

"What do you mean?"

"We already have one that looks just like you. I want this one to look like me!"

"Are you saying our daughter looks like a boy?" he joked.

"Of course not!" Anna chortled. "But she has your hair, your eyes, your smile... your everything! The only thing she gets from me is her nose!"

"Good thing, too. I wouldn't wish my nose upon anyone."

"Hey! I love your nose." She leaned over to give it a quick kiss before doing the same to his lips.

"Well, that makes one of us."

"Oh, hush. Anyway, I still disagree. This one's going to look like me. And it's a girl. End of discussion."

"Well, we'll see. I just wish it could be sooner."

"Yeah," Anna agreed wistfully, closing her hand over his. "It's been so long."

"Worth the wait, though," he whispered. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Kristoff snuggled up beside her, slipping one arm around her shoulders while leaving the other at her middle and continuing its gentle rub of her swollen belly. Anna was quiet, save for the occasional moan of discomfort. She soon closed her eyes, seeking slumber. Kristoff would sleep eventually, but Anna needed it more; if staying awake and massaging her achy belly was going to help her acquire some much-deserved rest, he'd be damned if he didn't do it.

"Kristoff?" Anna whispered after a while.

"Hm?"

"Maybe I'm gassy."

He chuckled against her skin.

"Want me to pat your back instead?" he teased. "Pretend you're an infant?"

"No!" she laughed, playfully smacking him on the forearm. "I think I'm just going to walk around for a bit."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. That helps sometimes."

Kristoff lifted his head, raised an eyebrow, and grinned.

"You're hungry, aren't you?"

"Hm?"

"You're not just going for a walk. You're going to the kitchen."

"No, no. I mean, I don't know... I may walk by there. You know, since I'll already be up, I guess I can grab a little snack. Stop laughing at me!"

"I'm not laughing at you!" Kristoff defended through his smile. "I just think it's funny that you still feel the need to make up excuses to get food. If you're hungry, you're hungry."

"Okay, fine," Anna relented. "I could eat."

"Let me get something for you. What do you want?"

Kristoff made to get up, but Anna placed a soft hold on his arm.

"No, I've got it. I wasn't kidding about the walk. I really could use one."

"Anna-"

"Kristoff, it's okay. I can't just lay here when my belly is hurting. I need to move."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

They kissed before Anna heaved herself off the bed. She teetered on the spot for a moment before stretching out her arms.

"Want anything for yourself?" she yawned.

"Nah, but thanks."

"Okay. Please try to sleep," she urged.

Kristoff watched her waddle adorably toward the door for a moment before closing his eyes and leaning back against his pillow. Though he felt guilty about it, he knew sleep would come easily that night. He was so comfortable, so warm, so blissful...

"Aargh!"

Upon hearing Anna's strained cry, his eyes snapped open, widening in horror at the sight of her crouching beside the door and clutching her belly. Kristoff was out of bed and at her side in an instant, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and holding her free hand. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she was holding her breath.

"Anna!" he cried. "Are you okay? Are you alright? What's wrong?"

"I'm okay," she breathed. "Just a big kick. That's all. She's a strong one."

Kristoff tightened his arm around her shoulders.

"Anna, that wasn't a kick," he murmured. "Kicks don't bring you to your knees."

"This one did. I'm fine. H-help me up, please."

"Anna-"

"Please, Kristoff. I'm okay."

True to her stubborn nature, Anna began to slowly lift herself off the floor, and he kept a supportive hold on her.

"Anna," he began, "are... are your pains starting?"

"No," she firmly declared. "They can't be. It's-"

She stopped suddenly, glaring at her feet, and Kristoff followed her gaze. They both stared for a moment in disbelief, because it simply couldn't be true: Anna's bare feet were surrounded by a puddle of apparent water.

"...too soon," she finished in a whimper. "No..."

"Anna," Kristoff said, "we need to send someone to fetch the midwife."

"But Kristoff... it's too early. Too early..."

He ignored her as he tugged open the door.

"We need some help up here!" he called out into the corridor, refusing to leave Anna's side. "Someone! Please!"

"Kristoff, stop," Anna pleaded through heavy breaths. "It can't be time yet..."

"Obviously, it is," he argued gently, "and we need to get Ingrid here, now."

"Sir? My lady?" Kai had arrived in the doorway, and he gasped at the sight of Anna, still hunched over and unsuccessfully trying to appear as if she was perfectly fine. "My lady! Is everything alright?"

"Kai, please send immediate word to Ingrid," Kristoff urged. "We need her now."

"Right away, Sir."

As Kai bolted from the room and down the corridor, Anna cried out again and clung to Kristoff's shirt.

"Kristoff," she panted, "this can't happen... not now... what if something's wrong? It's too soon..."

"It-it'll be okay," Kristoff answered with as much confidence as he could muster, though he, too, was slowly falling into a panic. It was early, unless they somehow miscounted, and it had taken an awfully long time for her to become pregnant again...

But he couldn't let Anna see that he was worried, too. He had to be brave for her. She was scared enough without him piling on the worry.

"But what if it's not?"

"Everything's going to be alright," he assured her. "I'm going to lift you up and carry you down to the room, okay? Ready?"

When Anna nodded, Kristoff carefully scooped her up into his arms, and her head tumbled against his chest. The same spare bedroom on the second floor where Petra was born had once again been prepared for such an event, having been completed weeks before by several of the maids. Anna groaned again, and Kristoff could only assume another wave of pain was washing through her tiny body.

"Anna?" he said, and he grinned when she opened her eyes for him. "We're having another baby."

He felt himself relax a little when Anna offered him a small smile through her agony. It was short lived, however, because she squeezed her eyes shut again and whimpered. Kristoff walked as fast as he could to the room where they'd welcome a child for the second time.


Author's Note: As you can probably tell, I'm taking a mini-vacation from Kristanna Fluff Land to play with flangst again. I've been eager to write this one for a while! Thanks for reading! :)