Chapter 4:

Meet the Family


When the sleigh pulled into the courtyard, Kristoff could see that Anna and Elsa were already waiting for him. Anna was wearing the same dress that she wore for her birthday last year; she even had her hair tied up in a bun. Kristoff got off the sleigh, leading Jon over to where the sisters were. Anna ran up to greet him.

"Hey, Kristoff! I have everything packed! Are you ready?"

"Hold on a second, Anna. There's someone I want to introduce you to first.

"Oh," Anna said.

Kristoff placed a hand on Jon's back. "Anna, this is Jon. He's my brother."

There was a brief moment of silence. Anna looked at Jon, and then back at Kristoff, the revelation still sinking in.

"Your brother?" she said, shocked.

"Yes. This is the first time we've seen each other in fifteen years. It's a long story, but I can explain."

Anna looked at Jon with curiosity. He looked just like Kristoff except that he had brown hair, and a beard. As happy as she was to meet a relative of Kristoff's, she couldn't help but wonder why Kristoff had never talked about him before.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jon," Anna said, shaking his hand.

"The pleasure's all mine, Princess Anna. From what I've heard about you, Kristoff sure is a luck man to have someone like you in his life."

Anna blushed. "Thank you."

Elsa then introduced herself to Jon. "Welcome to Arendelle, Jon. We're very happy to have you here," she said.

"Thank you, Queen Elsa. It's great to be here."

"Oh, please, call me Elsa."

Jon was surprised at how laid back Elsa was. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Elsa."

"Likewise."

"How about we go inside, and get the picnic basket? It's all packed and ready to go!"

"Oh, uh, Anna, about that," Kristoff began. "I was wondering if we could hold off on the picnic until another day. I mean…I haven't seen Jon in fifteen years. We have a lot of catching up to do."

Kristoff thought for sure that Anna would be hurt by the sudden decision to cancel the picnic, but instead, she smiled warmly at him.

"Kristoff, I understand. In fact, why don't you and Jon spend the day together? We can have a picnic some other time."

Anna understood very well the joy of seeing a sibling after many years. She still remembered how she felt on Elsa's coronation day, standing beside the sister she loved so dearly. A reunion was a special thing, one that should be cherished.

She and Elsa said their goodbyes, leaving the two men to themselves in the courtyard. After they were gone, Jon turned his attention back to the sleigh.

"Ok. So we're going need some more supplies before we leave," he said.

"What? Leave?

"Yes. Don't you remember? I told you that we're going to see dad's old friend Anton. He might have some answers for us about mom and dad."

"Jon, I can't just up and leave like that! I have a job! A family!"

"They'll still be here when you get back," Jon persuaded. "Come on, let's go into town, and get some supplies."

"Listen, Jon, it's been so long. Why don't we just…lay back and take it easy for a while. We haven't seen each other in years. Let's go fishing or something."

Jon sighed. "Kristoff, I've overjoyed that we're back together, but right now, there are more important things to deal with. Haven't you always wondered why mom and dad left us at that place? Don't you want to know the reason?"

"Well, yeah, but…

"And this is our first step to finding out that reason. Look, your girlfriend and her sister seem nice, but that don't understand what's it's like: losing your parents, and being separated from your sibling for over a decade."

"Actually they do," Kristoff said. "Anna and Elsa lost their parents several years back, and for thirteen years they hardly saw each other. They know what's it's like."

"Ok. If they know what it's like, then they will understand why we have to leave. This is our family, Kristoff. This is who we are. Not this," Jon said, gesturing towards the castle.

Kristoff looked at his brother. The seriousness in his eyes was clear; he was determined to find out what happened to their parents. As much as Kristoff hated to just leave his new life behind him, he truly did want to know why his parents left him and his brother at that orphanage all those years ago.

"Fine. Let me just go say goodbye to Anna," he said.

"Ok. I'll go into town for some supplies. Don't take too long," Jon said.

Kristoff went inside the castle, heading upstairs to Anna's room. When he knocked on the door, no one answered. He knocked again, but there was still no reply. He opened the door. "Anna," he called out, but there was no one inside.

"Anna!" Kristoff called down the hallway, hoping she would hear him. "Where did she go?"

Kristoff stepped inside the room. On the desk were a bottle of ink, and a quill with some paper. Kristoff picked up the quill, dipped it in ink, and began to write a letter to Anna, explaining where he was going.

"Hopefully she'll understand," he said. He folded the letter, and placed it on her bed. Afterwards, he met up with Jon in the town square, where the two men prepared the sleigh.

"All set?" Jon asked.

"I guess," Kristoff replied.

"Oh, here take this, you might need it," Jon said, handing a pistol to Kristoff.

"A gun? For what?" Kristoff asked.

"Self-defense, you never know what's out there. I got a rifle and plenty of ammo too. I also packed some food for the trip. Now come on, we're burning daylight."

Kristoff took the reins, signaling Sven to begin moving. Before they left town, Kristoff took one last look at the castle he'd come to know over the past year. Jon noticed this.

"Hey, I understand that you're upset, Kristoff, but you'll see them again. This is just something that we need to take care, so we can finally have closure. And no offense to Anna and Elsa, but they're not your real family. You and I, we're family," Jon said.

"I guess," Kristoff said. He was happy that Jon was back in his life, and as much as he wanted closure in his life, a part of him told him to accept things the way they were, and move on. He wanted Jon to become a part of the family he had with Anna and Elsa. But what if Jon was right, what if Anna and Elsa really weren't family? What if he had the chance to pick up where he and Jon left off with their parents, and become the family they once were? Kristoff looked at Jon, who smiled back at him.

"Don't worry, little brother, we'll find them," Jon promised.

Yes, but at what cost? Kristoff wondered.


A/N: I apologize for the late update, but I just started graduate school so I have been swamped. I managed to upload a one-shot the other day though, and should have another come soon. With this story I'm going with the whole conflict between two worlds kind of thing. Kristoff doesn't know whether he should return to the life he once had, or move on, and accept his new life. Jon may seem like the bad guy in this chapter, but I promise that he isn't. He just doesn't understand how Kristoff feels. It's been so many years since Kristoff left his old life behind him, that he's become so comfortable in his new one. He's wondering if it's worth returning too. Jon wants desperately to get back the life that he feels that has been robbed from him and Kristoff. Moreover, it's been a long road for them, and they've both changed a lot as people. Brotherly conflict in addition to brotherly love will be a major part of this story.