"Oof!" A sudden dog collision left Anna speechless and covered in snow, again. The dog had its gigantic paws resting on Anna's leg, and was sniffing her as if she had rolled in cat hair that morning. As far as she could remember, she hadn't.

The dog was a gray German Shepherd, with a tongue spilling out of its mouth. It was tall enough to easily rest its head in Anna's lap if it wanted to. And it did. It had a leash lagging behind it, which a college kid had just tripped over. Everyone in the cafe seemed to be eyeing the dog, wondering how it got inside, but no one was stepping up to claim ownership.

"He's sooooo cute!" Well, Olaf probably would if no one else did. The dog grumbled its happiness when Olaf began petting it.

Anna looked into its big brown eyes and got sucked right in. He was too fuzzy and adorable to stay mad at, even if her dress was now snowy and slobbery.

She was itching it behind its ears when Kristoff reappeared.

"Sven? Did you guys untie him?" The goofy tall guy looked even goofier as he knelt to the ground to be level with his dog. Anna shook her head, but Kristoff didn't even seem to care.

"What are you doing around all these people, Sven? Don't you know better?" Sven seemed to agree, and licked Kristoff right on the nose.

Kristoff laughed, which surprised Anna. A smile really changed his entire face. It was sweeter, and she kind of wanted to see more.

But then Sven's leash was wrapped around Kristoff's hand, and he was up on his feet again, poised to go.

"How'd your business thing go?" Olaf asked cheerfully.

"Oh, fine, I got the details all straightened out. The guy seemed pretty mousy when I turned up, I think he thought he could get away with not paying," Kristoff laughed in a I-showed-him type of way, and Anna crooked an eyebrow.

This guy was impossible to read. All she knew was that he loved ice and his dog.

"Well, see you around Olaf. And-" he paused for a moment, and Anna stared straight at him daring him to forget her name, "Anna!" Kristoff grinned, obviously proud of himself for remembering.

Anna laughed at his expression, forgetting all the other times she had gotten mad at someone for forgetting her name. Kristoff seemed a little taken aback, and prodded on Sven's leash to leave. The dog slowly took its head out of Anna's lap, stared damply into her eyes and slowly turned away. Then, as if a switch had been flicked, it moved jauntily and nearly hopped after its owner.

She never really understood the idea that dogs took after their owners until she saw what a match Kristoff and Sven were.

She hadn't realized that she was watching them leave until she turned her gaze back to Olaf, who was smirking at her.

"He's single you know," he said with a rotten little smile on his face.

"Single as in how? Does he need a chess partner?" Anna took a bite of her pastry, smiling as crumbs fell from her mouth in an extremely ungraceful way.

"Oh, pish posh, Anna, what are we going to do with you?"

"We? What, is there some 'Support Anna' brigade?" Olaf didn't say anything to that, which she found extremely suspicious.

Anna considered asking Olaf if he wanted to go see a movie with her, until he got up, grabbed his coat, and said he had a class soon. The semester was finishing up, and it seemed like everyone was finally attending those classes they'd been pretending didn't exist all year.

Anna was done with all her classes, and had three weeks off to do nothing.

She debated on whether or not to go see the movie by herself, but her laziness won over and she decided to go home.

Thankfully, the sidewalks were cleared this time, if still not salted. She hummed the same song she'd hummed on her way this morning, skipping a little bit until she had to stop because she'd nearly rammed into a teenager who gave her the evil eye.

As she walked up her driveway, a tinted black SUV was just leaving. Anna was sure she spotted Hans driving it, and a passenger in the next seat. Possibly Elsa? Going off to do some top secret planning?

Anna waved even though she wasn't sure, because it's always better to be polite than not.

She strolled through the hallway that held Elsa's bedroom, trailing her hand along the wall lazily.

Elsa's bedroom door was closed, and probably locked. Anna found herself sliding down the wall to sit against it, a sudden wave of sadness overtaking every inch of her body.

It always happened like this. When she wasn't expecting it. The utter desperation to have a sister took over and made Anna sentimental. And hopeless. So she talked to Elsa's bedroom door, as if it were her sister herself. Anna had lost count of how many times she'd had the same conversation with the same door.

"Elsa?" It was barely more than a whisper.

"I know you're probably not in there, and well good for you, getting out of the house. But I just want to know, why?"

Why? to so many things. Anna just let herself ramble on for a bit.

"Why did you shut me out after mom and dad's deaths? Why do you never speak to me anymore? Why is the company more important than I am?" She put her head down, laying it against her knees.

"If I had to describe you to a sketch artist right this second, all I would know is that you have white hair and that you look somewhat like me. What kind of person doesn't know what her own sister looks like?"

Anna sighed and sat there for a few minutes longer. Then she stretched up slowly and cautiously, testing out how she felt. It wasn't good.

She put her hand up to Elsa's light blue door, no reason but to check that it was really there, and that she was too. Her entire family seemed to have died.

Anna was cramming a bowl of cereal down her throat that evening when she heard a door slam and the sound of an argument that seemed to have just peaked. She could hear a male and a female having a fight that made her wince with every word.

Granted, she was too far away to hear any word. But it was like when she was younger and on the few occasions that her parents used to fight; just the sound of an angered word shocked her very being.

She shoved one more spoonful into her mouth and nearly choked as she got up to shuffle towards the front of the house. Was that Elsa returning? Who could she possibly be fighting with? She didn't really have enough friends to speak with, let alone fight with.

Anna slunk into the hallway and slid down beside a gigantic plant. They were in the entry room, and Anna was close enough to feel the cold breeze of the winter night seeping in through the door.

"I do not have to do this. Are you forgetting who writes your checks?"

Ah, definitely Elsa. Anna might not have heard that voice in . . . an undeterminable amount of time, but she could never forget the iciness that came out when her sister was angry. One time when they were little kids playing with dolls, Anna had decided it was time for Elsa's secret assassin doll to move onto the next town with a brand new identity, which had involved a haircut. Elsa hadn't been too pleased then, and she didn't seem too pleased now.

"This is not about my paycheck! This is about the fact that nothing about our company is new anymore. The allure is gone. If you don't have a show at fashion week, you don't matter. Throw this party, get yourself out there, or throw in the towel. I know it sounds harsh, but Elsa, it's the truth."

Hans? What did he know about the company's wellbeing, wasn't he just an assistant? Well, Anna still wasn't sure what was in that job description.

More importantly, Anna couldn't believe that the company was in trouble. Sure, she didn't know much about it, but she'd always assumed it was an untouchable entity. Like how when you're little, your parents appear as these larger than life figures that can't possibly do wrong or be taken away.

"Fine! I'll do it, I'll throw this goddamn ball. Come by tomorrow so we can work on the details. And Hans, it is not our company, it is mine. Watch yourself," and with those last biting words, Anna heard a door slam.

Well, if Anna and Hans were ever to get together, it didn't seem like they'd have Elsa's blessing.

Anna tucked her legs beneath her as Elsa breezed into the hallway. It was dark and the kitchen lights barely lit up the hallway. Elsa didn't notice her sister unflatteringly hiding in a corner. She might have if she wasn't completely blinded by rage.

Anna watched her sister peak into the kitchen, and she wondered what would have happened if she'd never left that room to begin with. Would her sister have stopped for a chat? Probably not, but she could dream.

Elsa continued down the hall, and Anna popped out of her hiding space just as she heard Elsa's bedroom door close. At least she didn't slam it this time.

Anna shuffled back to the kitchen, making sure to be quiet. She finished her cereal even though it was soggy and disgusting, because she needed a few minutes to fully understand what had just happened.

Company? Trouble? Hans? Party? Elsa? Ball?

And then she couldn't help getting a little excited. A ball, could it possibly be here? They had a ballroom, for god's sake!

She squealed with excitement, getting up and doing a little twirl. And knocking a bunch of apples onto the ground, but it was worth it.

She'd always been secluded from the business, but this was her chance to enter into a world that wasn't her own. Anna could just imagine all the glamorous people drifting through her house in their fabulous evening wear.

"Anna?" Anna stopped in her twirling, only to slip and fall on one of the fallen apples. She groaned, and looked up at her sister.

"Me?"

"Yes, unless there's someone else here named Anna?"

"Nope, just me. What's up Elsa, how have you been?" As innocent as her sister looked there in pajamas with clouds on them, Anna couldn't keep a little bite out of her voice.

"Uhh, fine, you look nice," Elsa said cautiously. Anna raised an eyebrow, because as far as she could tell she looked like she was wearing a dress that had been covered in snow twice, melted twice, and also been drooled on by a dog.

She hadn't felt like changing.

"Thanks, and you look comfy," Anna didn't know what was coming over her, but now in the moment that she was finally conversing with Elsa, she didn't really want to.

"So, I don't know if you heard me come home-" "Oh I heard." "-but I need your help. The company needs to be advertised, and a lot of the staff are advising me to throw a party. More than a party, a fancy ball where we can show off our new dress line."

Anna kept her eyebrow raised, urging her sister to go on.

"I don't want to, but the company isn't doing too well and I'm a little desperate. So I was wondering if you'd want to plan it with me? You're on break now, right?" Elsa sounded more than desperate, she sounded broken. Anna couldn't help but feel bad.

"Yeah I am. Um, sure. Seems fun," she couldn't help a little smile that escaped her biting tongue.

"Well, the planning won't be fun. But it'll be easier with you helping me, so thanks," Elsa's voice got quiet on the thanks and Anna turned her eyes away from her sister.

"We'll start tomorrow," Elsa clasped her hands together like she was a besotted princess. Anna could tell though, her sister was nowhere near excitement. Tension and anxiety were evident in the way her body was clenched.

"I know where we can get ice," Anna grinned.

"You're having a ball? Like a fancy one? That's so amazing, Anna I'm so happy for you!" Cheeriness oozed out of the phone as Anna chatted with Olaf.

"Well, it's not my ball. It's not even my sister's, it's supposed to be for the company. Anyway, I'm calling to invite you and your mysterious girlfriend."

"Wow, wow! Thanks so much! I am definitely going to bring her. Speaking of dates, have anyone in mind?" His tone was conspiratorial, and Anna rolled her eyes.

"I kind of have a person in mind, but he's already going to be there so I don't know if it's much use."

"Kristoff?"

"No, Hans, my sister's assistant. We went out a few times last year . . . but he's sort of given me the cold shoulder," Anna sighed and slumped down onto her bed. She dangled her legs off the edge, running her bare toes against the cold ground. She hadn't really left the house since break had started, except to get the mail. Elsa hadn't been kidding about the amount of work that went along with planning a party. And her sister was a control freak to begin with. Hans was helping too, but he flitted in and out.

All Anna seemed to do was make suggestions, some Elsa would agree with, some she'd completely ignore, and some she'd call ridiculous.

But even though it was tiresome work, Anna loved it. She enjoyed being by her sister's side, even if it was just to pick out ice sculpture designs. Sculptures that Kristoff's adopted mother's brother's company would be making for them. His family was quite the long story, but even Olaf hadn't known much about them when she'd asked for Kristoff's number. Anna had put in a good word for Kristoff, even though she barely knew the guy, and Olaf was not letting her forget about it.

"Anna, Hans might be trying to tell you something. By ignoring you, I mean."

"He's just busy, maybe he'll ask me to dance or something. Can you imagine? It'll be the perfect opportunity!"

Olaf made a mmhmm sound which Anna chose to ignore.

"So when is this ball?"

"Uh."

"Anna, do you seriously not know?"

"In my defense, it's never come up!"

Olaf snorted.

"I'll go ask Elsa, hold on a minute," Anna put the phone down on her bed, and flounced out of her room.

She'd said good morning to Elsa earlier, so she assumed her sister was home. But as usual, her sister was elusive. Anna checked the kitchen, the dining room, Elsa's workroom, even their parents'dusty workrooms, but no sign of her sister. Anna took a deep breath and made her way to Elsa's bedroom. She tried to avoid the room at all costs. They'd been working in the dining room the past week, cutting out pictures and calling catering service after catering service.

Anna knocked on the bedroom door, and it slowly creaked open as though it hadn't been latched. Anna took a deep breath, remembering all the cop shows she'd ever seen in which they'd automatically drawn their weapons when there was an open door, and walked in.

"Elsa?" She called softly, stopping only a few feet in when she noticed a person that was definitely not her sister.

Elsa's bedroom was magnificent. Three walls were solid, but one was completely glass; it overlooked their icy backyard and all the trees that drooped with the effort of snow. The walls were painted a dark, cloudy blue akin to a winter storm. Elsa's bed looked like a delicate feather, but the fact that it was messy and unmade sort of took away from that theme. And there, at the focal point of the room, Elsa's desk, sat Hans.

He looked startled to be seen, and flushed a bit red. Out of embarrassment or annoyance, Anna couldn't really tell. She was more than a little irked to see him in Elsa's bedroom, of all places.

"Hans? What are you doing here?" She tried not to let it, but suspicion crept into her voice.

"I was just getting some papers Elsa needed. She's scouting some local musicians to play at the ball, so she'll probably be gone for the rest of the day. Did you need something?" He had gotten up and distanced himself from the desk, and was holding a small sheet of paper rather suspiciously. But this was Hans, and Anna had no reason to worry about the fact that he obviously knew Elsa's room better than her sister did. Right?

"No not really, just wondering the exact date of the ball," Anna looked down at the white rug, suddenly embarrassed to have forgotten the date in front of Hans.

"Valentine's Day, if my memory serves me right," he stopped talking when he saw Anna's face.

"Seriously? Valentine's Day?! February the 14th?!" Anna was trying to keep her freak out internalized, but it wasn't really working. Hans was not the ideal person to freak out in front of either. He was looking at her like she'd just skinned a goat.

"Yeah," he laughed a little, and Anna melted. "Anna, I was wondering. Well, I know we'll both be there, but would you care to be my date to the ball?"

She knew Hans hadn't forgotten about her. He'd just been busy. She felt elated enough to climb an entire mountain, or cheerfully eat a carton of ice cream.

"Really? Yes! Yes, I'd love to!" She grinned from ear to ear, and attempted to lean against the doorframe gracefully but just managed to trip a little over her own feet.

"Great! Well, I need to get back, I'll talk to you later," and then he was gone, just breezed past her. Anna had almost put her arms up for a hug, but she was glad that she hadn't. That would've been awkward.

She sighed and smiled contentedly. She flung herself onto Elsa's bed and closed her eyes for a minute, until she remembered that Olaf was still on the phone.

Anna dashed back to her room, flinging herself onto the bed and grabbing the phone. When she picked the receiver up, all she could hear was the low chanting of the Hannah Montana theme song.

She wasn't surprised. That would be the type of thing that Olaf would watch.

"Olaf!" She shouted, and heard a yelp in response. "Hans just asked me to the ball! Ohmygodohmygodohmygooooooooood, this is the most exciting thing to ever happen to me!" She squealed again, rolling around until she got caught within her own sheets.

"I highly doubt that this is the most exciting thing to ever happen to you," Olaf scoffed, which made Anna a bit angry.

"You're my friend, you should be happy for me! By the way, it's on Valentine's Day. Plus, now we can double date," Anna said through gritted teeth.

"Well the thing is, I may have made arrangements for you to go with someone else." Olaf paused, but was met with only dead silence.

"I was just about to tell you, honestly. I didn't think Hans would screw it all up," Olaf's voice trembled a little, as if he could sense the storm brewing on the other end of the line.

"Olaf, what did you do?"

"Well, remember Kristoff?"