AN: This is the last chapter. I think you'll hate me for this. But angst is angst. I warned you didn't I?

Four: Integrity for Two?

Kristoff held the champagne flute in his right hand and fiddled the ribbon that is slowly suffocating him. He hates formal events.

But it's a friend's obligation to attend a friend's wedding even though he wanted to hide in a hole and have someone fill the hole so he could suffocate on his own without the humiliation. Plus, his death would be assured.

It's starting to be more preferable than this.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please clear the dance floor. The dance of the bride and the groom is about to commence!"

The people on the dance floor quickly dispersed. The lights dimmed, and the spotlight turned on. It slowly search for the couple and then bathed them with yellow light.

Jack looks dashing with his grey wedding suit and blue tie, Kristoff begrudgingly admitted. He managed to tame his hair which is a miracle feat. Although, he wonders how much gel was used for the battle.

The jackass has his back straight. His face painted with happiness. Proud happiness. Twinkling eyes and a smug smile.

How can he not be? In his arm is a goddess. Anna wore a white gown that molded quite nicely on her body accentuating her curves and making Kristoff nervous and his palms sweaty. God, it's been six years and she still has that effect on him.

Her hair is in an intricate bun with a veil attached on top of it. She has a smile playing on her lips and the aura of joviality is so palpable he thinks he can touch it. Wonder what'll it taste like? Cotton candy? Knowing her it might be chocolate.

The years had been kind to her. Her face acquired a slight edge of maturity. Her steps has developed a certain grace in them. Hopefully. He's such a prejudicial jerk.

A song started playing and the two started to sway to it. Jack took Anna's hand and gave her a quick peck to the lips. Kristoff averted his eyes. He turned around and scoured the banquet table with his eyes. He should be looking for the waiters but what the hell. He needs more champagne. He would prefer a stronger beverage but Jack was vehemently against allowing liquor other than champagne in the reception.

He finally spotted a bottle of champagne protruding from an ice bucket. He snatched it and went in search for a place of solitude. Proprietary be damned. He needs to numb his scarred heart.

He went inside every room but it's all occupied. He accidentally intruded on a couple getting it on. His ears are still ringing from the screech that the woman emitted. But jeez, it's a wedding! Not a frat party.

If he can't be miserable inside then he'll be miserable outside. He stepped outside the porch and the chilly night air quickly sobered him up. That's not good. He sat on the steps and popped the cork with his bare hands. He poured himself a flute full and quickly downed it.

A ruffle of clothing sounded from behind him and he glance back. He's met with the piercing blue eyes of the maid of honor.

"What are you doing here?" She held a wine glass and a bottle of wine stood on the coffee table.

"I could ask you the same thing." Her eyes are challenging. Closed off. He sighed and run his hand through his locks. He undid the ribbon and popped the first button of his dress shirt open. The relief was so obvious judging by her raised eye brow.

"How did you got that in here?" He nodded his head towards the bottle of wine.

"I have my ways." She grabbed the bottle and poured the wine filling her glass halfway.

Elsa has that unearthly poise and gracefulness that only royalty posses. Her beauty is bordering on exquisite. So different from Anna who always plants face first in the ground and can break one or more china a day without effort. Clumsy but adorable.

"You know you could get really drunk at that pace you are going. How much have you had?" She looked at Kristoff with incredulity. She returned the bottle and took a minimal sip of the wine.

"I've had about two half-fulls already. And for the record, carbonated drinks makes the stomach lining absorb alcohol faster. Wine is only second to champagne when it comes to that. How much have you had?"

Kristoff looked back. From the empty flutes that he left in his wake, on the waiters' hands actually, it's a lot. Kristoff shrugged his shoulders.

"I think I've quite a few? Maybe? Well, Jack's plan just back fired. He's not aware of this tiny little detail." He filled the flute again to the brim.

Kristoff wish he has a bigger glass. He's courting the idea of drinking straight from the bottle. But not in Elsa's presence.

"An estimate if you will. I will not have you roaming in my sister's wedding inebriated."

He scoffed. "Color me drunk. Why don't you stop me then?"

Silence filled the space. He glanced back at her and he couldn't believe his eyes. She's looking at him with pity. Hypocrite!

"Kristoff, I know it's-"

"Don't. Don't you dare preach. Not when you're still at the same patch as me." Kristoff uttered in a low indignant whisper.

Elsa heard the implications. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

He challenged her with a look that says, 'Yeah, right'.

Her eyes narrowed. "If you must know, I have put it behind me. I already have-"

"Oh please. You may have fooled them but you didn't fool me. I saw the way you look at Jack."

Her face couldn't be more shocked and is doing a pretty good impersonation of a tomato.

"Was I that pellucid?"

"Don't know what that means. But you don't get to rub my unrequited love to my face."

Decency be damned. He took a huge gulp. Straight from the bottle.

"Shit, how did it come to this?"

"Language please."

"Sorry." He muttered half-heartedly. He took another swig. He can feel a burp starting to rise from his throat. From the amount of fizz he had consumed, it's going to be a belch.

He tried to hinder it but to no avail. He burped but he made damn sure that it's brief and soft.

"You know," Kristoff started, the alcohol making him more loose and bolder. "I always thought you were gonna be, you know, the Frosty couple. You look good together. Winter and snow. He's fun, you're uptight. He's sociable to a degree while you're cold as ice. You compliment each other." He glanced back and Elsa is glaring daggers at him.

"What? Did I offend you? I was only telling the truth."

She rubbed her temples clearly looking peeved. "Obviously, alcohol can make one's tongue loose. I must not be offended by your comments under the influence." She made a swirling motion with her hand holding the glass of wine.

Kristoff didn't know what just happened.

"Are you sincere about your earlier statement? About us I mean." She continue to swirl the contents of her glass. Never looking at him.

"Yeah, it's a match made in heaven for me at least. Can I ask you a question?"

He pivoted his body and rest his elbow on his knee placing the bottle of champagne on the crook of his arm. He held the flute with his forefinger and thumb pointing it at her.

"Why? You could've spared us both this." He gestured towards the door leading inside the festivities. "Hell, you could've been in Anna's place right now. I could've been in Jack's place right now. What the fuck did we do?!"

He palmed his face downward and took his third swig at the bottle. Now he's tipsy. He feels like screaming. At everyone in the reception. His earlier impulse of grabbing Anna putting her on his shoulders like a barbarian then getting the fuck out of there is getting stronger.

Elsa is giving him a wary look. Fortunately, he still has some rationality left in his alcohol ladened brain. He calmed himself.

"So why?" He acted nonchalant like his earlier outburst had never occured.

Elsa seems to ponder about it. He can clearly see the reluctance to answer. He sighed and faced the outside watching the foliage of trees for something.

"I met Jack during my first year in college. We shared Humanities together. His looks have never stirred any attraction on my part. I have seen many handsome men. But his drawings and paintings are fascinating and resplendent. His quick wit is welcoming and often amusing during banter. We would often debate about our ethical views. My authoritarian views would sometimes clash with his situational ones."

She fiddled with the wine glass and breathed in deeply. A soft smile is playing on her lips and a slight blush is visible on her cheeks.

"And when we were asked to sing. Did you know he's a fanatic of Frank Sinatra? He sang Fly Me to the Moon in front of everyone. His baritone voice is so smooth and it made me giddy. I acknowledged my infatuation that day. It only took for me to fall completely for him when we visited the orphanage. He never boasted about his philanthropic ways. He always gives time to those children."

She sighed and tugged at her intricate bun. It looks like Anna's.

"If you must know, I have been terrified in expressing my emotions for fear of rejection and humiliation." He looked back at her beginning to protest but she held up her palm. "I know that Jack would never do such a thing. Fear has left me paralyze everytime it merely brushes mind. How about you? What's your lousy excuse?"

He decided to humor her. "I was naturally born a coward. Believe me, I have tried so many times to tell her but the words would get stuck in my throat. I was going to try again but then Jack came along. Sorry that was a little bitter of me." He's going to take another swig but her sharp voice inhibited his action.

"Restrain yourself, Kristoff. I don't want you causing a scene and ruining a very important milestone in my sister's life." He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

He chuckled. "After all this years, you're still protective of her. Even though she committed something unforgivable like marrying the man of your dreams. I am so amazed of your sibling loyalty. If I were you, I'd probably never talk to her again."

He looked at the bottle of wine again. "Can I have some of that."

She sighed. "I suppose."

He clambered up and let Elsa fill his flute half way. He then raised his glass.

"A toast to moving on! May we get past the wounds caused by cowardice and, uh, and so forth and so forth. May I never again be bested by handsome white haired men with perfect even teeth."

Elsa gave a brief chuckle before speaking. "May I be victorious in not flinching whenever my sister and her husband show affections in my presence. And also to moving on and letting it go."

They clinked their glasses and both sipped at the wine because Elsa is too frigid to get drunk in public. So does she gets drunk in private?

Kristoff watched the sky. The stars littered it making the sky seem awake. He smiled forlornly. He knew a red headed girl who stares at the sky. Her eyes sparkled like those stars above.

Together they both basked in the silence and feel his heart's painful pumps. The lies that he uttered to convince himself. It's gonna take years to ease the pain he's enduring.

Kristoff look beside the beautiful woman beside him. Well atleast he's not alone.

AN: That was so rushed. But this story is long overdue. I did this first before my assignment in Biochemistry. Anyways, thank you for reading the story constructive criticism would be appreciated. Simple reviews would also be welcomed. Flames would be disregarded and laughed at. Seriously, I show them to my classmates and we laugh at them.Until next time!