The sun was high in the blue sky, not a cloud in sight, but as Elsa stood on the balcony of the ice palace, staring at the horizon, she did not appreciate the beauty of the sky or the way the waves of the ocean rippled. She wondered instead if the pain in her heart would ever really go away. Maybe she had trapped it in when she walled up her heart. She glanced down at the city of Arendelle, bustling with activity and noticed a couple of trade ships approaching, laden with goods. If nothing else, the city was in good hands with her sister and Kristoff at the helm. She lifted her gaze from the city to the sky again and closed her eyes, letting herself remember.

Tadashi.

His goofy smile, the way she felt when he wrapped his arms around her. The soft pressure of his lips on hers.

The way she never told him how she really felt.

Had it really been two years already since the accident? Opening her eyes Elsa turned from the horizon and made her way back inside, ignoring the many statues that littered the rooms.

Since her unofficial abdication from the throne – Anna refused to make it official – something of a legend had gone out about a beautiful queen with a heart of ice who sat enthroned in an ice castle. The legend stated that whoever could thaw her heart would win her hand and so many fools had taken it upon themselves to try to win her heart. She could see right through most of them – in it for the glory, the intrigue, the crown at the end of it, and so, it was very few who left her palace unfrozen. She had little patience for such selfish ambition these days. Especially days like today. Exactly two years since the accident.

Her breath hitched in her throat and her head whipped around at the sound of a knock on the door. She frowned. The visitor who chose to visit today was going to be very unlucky indeed. She allowed the doors to open, but went to her throne, sitting regally upon it and throwing out an imposing air. Woe be to whoever tried to win her icy heart today.

It was not a suitor who approached however, it was her sister.

"Anna," Elsa thawed – just a little bit. She remained seated on the throne however and her sister looked up from the throne room floor.

"Hey Elsa," Anna said quietly, casting her gaze around the room, taking in all the human statues, "You've had a few visitors since I was here last."

Anna tried to keep the judgement out of her tone, but Elsa still stiffened at the disappointment and sadness she picked up. Anna wouldn't understand. She had Kristoff. What did she know of the pain in Elsa's heart? So she said nothing, keeping her gaze on her sister.

"I'm sorry I didn't bring Kristy, she was unwell this morning,"

A pang of concern pierced through her icy barrier for a moment, but was soon assuaged as Anna, being Anna, kept talking.

"She's going to be fine, it's just a little cold, but I wanted to see you, especially today." Anna focused on Elsa, who looked pointedly away, well aware of how her sister could see into the depths of her. She was not ready for the kind of scrutiny her sister could give. She knew what she had come to say. She had heard it the last six times that Anna had visited.

"Elsa, you need to move on," Anna said softly, "this isn't healthy."

Elsa clenched her teeth. Anna was the only one who could get away with talking to her like this. Anyone else would be frozen on the spot right now.

Anna sighed, "anyway, this came for you," she pulled out an envelope, leaving it on a table as she made her way out of the throne room. Elsa turned to glance at the envelope before watching her sister as she left.

"Kristy is having her second birthday party tonight; you would be welcome to come if you like," Anna turned at the door, trying one more time.

"Thank you, but I must decline," Elsa said, her eyes on the floor near her sisters feet.

"Ok, well… I'll see you when I can make it back then. I love you Elsa,"

Elsa watched her sisters retreating back, wondering why the returning words stuck as a lump in her throat. She watched her sister as she walked out of the palace, and then moved to the balcony so she could watch her journey down the mountain. She thought she caught Anna wiping at her cheeks and felt momentarily guilty to be causing her sister so much sorrow. But thinking of her sister's pain only reminded her of her own, and she couldn't sustain the guilt for long at all.

Passing back through the throne room, Elsa's attention caught on the letter Anna had brought. She reached over and opened it.

Elsa,

She nearly threw the letter away – she was still a queen, who would be addressing her so informally? She checked the signature.

Hiro

She dropped the letter in her surprise – she hadn't heard from Hiro, from any of them in two years! Shaking, she knelt down and picked up the letter.

Elsa,

I hope you'll forgive me for addressing you so informal, but we really need your help. These past two years my friends and I have formed a crime fighting team to help keep San Fransokio safe, but we have come up against a new threat – a villain with fire powers. So far we have been unable to defeat him. I know it's a long shot, but I feel that you with your icy powers could be a great addition to our team and with your help we can capture this guy.

If you are interested, you can either return a letter or just come to San Fransokio. We are still at the same place.

Hope to hear from you – Honey, Gogo, Wasabi and Fred all say hello.

Hiro

Elsa stared at the letter. She had never told Tadashi about her powers, how did Hiro know? She considered whether or not it was a prank. It was a dangerous one if so. And Anna had delivered the letter – was she behind this? She couldn't be. It would be too cruel. She supposed the legend of the snow queen could have made it even to San Fransokio. Hiro was a genius, he could have put two and two together. She re-read the letter. Should she go help? Surprisingly, a desire to do so rose within her. She tried to squish it down. She had not wanted to do anything in two years! Not royal engagements, not birthdays or anniversaries, nothing! She wanted to be left alone in solitude to do whatever she wanted, and to not lose anyone again! She looked down at the parchment in her hands. There was something so tempting about becoming a super hero though. Maybe if she did this she could finally move on, she could get back to her life. Maybe this would give her purpose again.

But that was crazy. Fighting villains, being a superhero? She was a queen for goodness sake! Folding the letter, she placed it back on the table when a red and purple flash in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She stared in amazement as a large robot landed on her balcony, a small person jumping off his back.

"Elsa?" Hiro called.

Elsa was frozen with surprise. Hiro was here! At her ice castle! How had he found her?

Hiro came inside, spotting her straight away. He ran up to her.

"Elsa! Please, you have to come quickly, I need your help!"

"Wh-wh-what's happened?" she asked, cursing herself inwardly. Queens did not stutter, no matter how surprised or off balance they were!

"Did you get my letter?" he asked. Elsa nodded mutely. Definitely not a prank then.

"We faced him – the fire guy – and he incapacitated the whole gang! We managed to get away, but the guys aren't going to be able to fight anytime soon, we need to stop this guy!"

his expression became determined and his eyes – so much like those of Tadashi – pleaded with her. She found herself agreeing to come help out.

"Thank you Elsa!" he hopped onto the robots back. The robot turned to Elsa.

"Hello, I am Baymax – may I escort you to San Fransokio?"

Elsa blinked. "wait, we're leaving now?"

Hiro nodded, face serious.

"uh, I'd really rather-"

"Baymax can carry you."

The robot bowed to her.

"Excuse me, your majesty,"

With that the robot scooped her up, and Hiro dropped her a face mask with a breathing apparatus.

"Here, you'll need this."

She fixed the mask over her face and a minute later they were flying – faster than her jet! She couldn't believe the speed at which they travelled! She shrieked and clung to the robot, squeezing her eyes closed. The flight however was smooth, and soon she relaxed. They made it to San Fransokio in a matter of hours.

They landed on the roof of a huge mansion overlooking the city. Elsa's breathing hitched as she took in the sight. The bridge, the city, the air purifiers. She had missed this place more than she had realised. She purposely did not look towards the university. Had no desire to know whether or not they had rebuilt the auditorium, though she suspected they had needed to.

"C'mon let's go talk to the team and come up with a plan to get this guy!"

Hiro's face was so resolved, Elsa turned and followed him down the stairs and through the elegant halls of the massive house. She wondered who's house they were at when they walked past a family portrait featuring Fred. She paused at the picture. Fred was a millionaire? Elsa never would have guessed that! She hurried after Hiro as he entered a room where the gang were draped over various pieces of furniture.

"Elsa!" Honey sat up, wincing in pain.

"Honey! Are you ok?" Elsa asked, wondering at the sudden ease with which she was caring about other people again. Was it the whirlwind events of the last few hours? She had been so blindsided by Hiro turning up, she hadn't had time to build walls against these friends whom she hadn't seen in two years. It felt a bit scary to suddenly care again. Swallowing, she made a conscious effort to keep the walls down, and decided that when she got home, she was going to go to Anna and make things better there too. Her sister was right. She needed to move on.

Elsa surveyed the room – Fred was nowhere to be seen, Wasabi was washing his arm, where it looked like he had quite a severe burn, and Gogo was unconscious on the couch next to Honey.

"What happened?" her question was ignored however as Fred burst through the doors.

"I've got it!" he crowed triumphantly, holding a couple of tubes of healing salve aloft, and a flask in his other hand

"Elsa, hey," he said casually – as though it was no big deal that the absent queen of Arendelle was in his house. He tossed a tube over to Wasabi who began rubbing the lotion over his burn. It looked better after only a few minutes. Elsa shook her head. San Fransokio was indeed the medical capital of the world. Fred handed the other tube over to Honey who applied it to her own burns.

"Thanks Fred,"

Fred walked over to Gogo and gently patted her face. Her eyes squinted open.

"What happened?" She groaned, trying to get up, but not strong enough. Determination overtook her features and she made herself sit up – panting with the effort of it. She grabbed the flask in Fred's hands and drank deeply, sighing with relief moments later.

Elsa turned to Hiro, her eyes demanding an explanation. Hiro shrugged.

"We've never fought anyone with fire powers before, our weapons are… less than useful."

"My blades don't cut his fire at all!" Wasabi said, rubbing ointment into his arm, "It went right through them, I was useless!"

"Gogo's flying discs were pretty good, or they would have been if they hadn't melted before they got close enough to do any damage," Honey offered, "But most of my chemicals are flammable, and one even caused an explosion." She ducked her head in embarrassment, "I should probably stay behind next time you guys face him."

Fred patted her shoulder sympathetically.

Elsa glanced around the room at this team of obviously established super heroes. What did they expect her to do?

Hiro caught her look.

"We figured your ice and snow might at least diminish his firepower so we could stand a better chance at defeating him." Hiro said.

"You do realise fire melts snow don't you?" She said.

"Yeah, but it's magic snow right? It's gotta be stronger than the stuff that falls from the sky, plus, we can teach you some fighting tricks, and even if you only lessen the fire rather than overcome it completely, that would be a huge help." Hiro jumped into a chair by a screen and started typing away at some program, pulling up video footage captured by Baymax of the fight they had lost, analyzing their enemy and looking for a way to defeat him. The gang gathered around behind him, making comments and pointing out potential weaknesses. Elsa watched in amazement.

"Honey, can you look into a chemical mix that could maybe snuff out fire? Maybe something that steals the oxygen or something like that? Also, whatever nonflammable chemicals that will help."

"I'll look into it!" Honey pulled out a small tablet and began typing away.

"Wasabi and Fred, can you show Elsa some stuff – fighting, defense… anything you think she'll need to know?"

Wasabi nodded and Fred bowed.

"If you would follow me to the gymnasium your majesticness?"

Elsa nodded and followed as Hiro, Baymax and Gogo huddled, trying to come up with a plan of attack. This was going to be interesting.


There was a target set up at the end of the gym. Fred guided her to about 20 feet away and told her to hit the target.

"With what?"

"With your magic, let's see what you've got!" Fred grinned enthusiastically, and Elsa wondered at his vivacity. Would she ever feel so enthusiastic again? Frowning, she turned to the target, reaching out her hands, she blasted magic, completely freezing the target, and ice creeping up the wall behind it.

"Woah! That was way cool! Do it again!"

Elsa gave a small smile at Fred's enthusiasm and blasted the target again.

"Can you do anything else?" Wasabi was leaning against a bench behind them.

"Like what?" Elsa turned to face him.

"Form shapes out of ice? Daggers or arrows may be useful. A shield is a must."

Elsa thought on it. She had never formed specific weapons out of her ice before. The one time she had used it in a combat sense was when Hans and his men had captured her and returned her to the castle at Arendelle, but even then, her ice had been raw, unpolished. She stared down at her hands, ice forming over them. She focused until she had a small weapon in her hand. The dagger sparkled under the fluorescent lights and she smiled up at Wasabi.

"Very good," he nodded approvingly then motioned to the target, "Can you hit the target with it?"


Elsa lay on her bed that night staring up at the ornate ceiling – Fred had offered the gang a suite of rooms in the mansion. She was relieved and a little sad. She wanted to see the room she had stayed in when she stayed with the Hamadas, but was also grateful that she didn't have to. The busy events of the day had not left her emotionally fortified to deal with something like that. She was bone weary – Fred and Wasabi had worked her hard, moving from working with magic to some martial arts. She had learned defensive and offensive maneuvers and had practiced shielding until she thought she was going to faint from exhaustion. She had picked it up fairly quickly, and found a satisfaction in being good at this.

She wondered, for a moment, at how happy and adjusted the gang all seemed. None of them seemed as broken up as she had been. None of them seemed to still be struggling with Tadashi's death. How had they managed it? Was their life of fighting crime so fulfilling? She rolled over and curled on her side. She had been devastated and broken. She had completely withdrawn from everyone who cared about her and isolated herself with her pain. Perhaps therein lay the answer. These guys had surrounded themselves with support, with friends. They had helped each other through the grief. Like Anna had tried to do for her, but she had locked her out. Again. Elsa felt a tear drip down her face. she squeezed her eyes closed against further tears and turned her thoughts back to today's training session. Better to focus on things less dangerous to her emotional stability. Elsa went back through everything she had learned today until she fell asleep.


KC