Surprise, it's not the end. I'm glad you guys like the alternate ending that I decided, it's what's best for them, in my opinion at least. Elsa can be both the fifth spirit and queen, though it may have consequences on it's own.

This chapter feels more of a filler chapter, a break between the Frozen 2 sequence and the future.

"Talk to me."

With the spirits finally settling down as both Arendelle and Northuldra had come into a truce and would live peacefully among one another, the lives of the people had returned back to normal as nature's demand had been fulfilled, with her and Anna both working together as the bridge between them and the mortal world, two sisters standing side by side just like they always meant to be.

It was far easier for her to let people help her, to let them in and share the burden she no longer had to shoulder alone. She could connect with the spirits, she listened and understood what they wanted, while Anna had her ways of connecting with the people, to listen to them, and then they shall put together a way out that would benefit both sides.

Though of course, the incident had not left Arendelle completely unscratched.

She knew the spirits did not mean to destroy the kingdom on purpose, they were merely trying to urge everyone out in case she was unable to stop the flood so that no one could get hurt, but some things were just a tad too delicate and they could not avoid not breaking it.

Thus why the kingdom had been working to fix the damage that was left. Some houses had suffered through a few minor problems, like cracked walls and roofs, but the townspeople gladly work and help each other in restoring their condition back to normal these past few days. Even the royal family had their hands busy.

Kristoff helped both in town and in the castle, using his large build as his own advantage to lift things up and delivering tools and materials necessary to repair any damage they may found. Hans was down at the docks, overseeing the ships as his vast knowledge as a naval officer was a great use in noticing if things had gone awry. Anna busied herself with providing food and drinks for the working men with the women in town, she had tried to help Kristoff once but the lifting truly was not her area of work -especially after she had received a disapproving shake of her older sister's head.

She… well, she mainly worked inside.

As Queen, she handled the paperwork that came to her desk, of the budgeting that rose with all the repairs done, making sure that they didn't lose much profit and yet still able to rebuild Arendelle smoothly. Truly, she wished she could help outside too just like Anna did, but official demands had held her back. Besides, she was not completely alone anyway, as Wilhelm had stayed wherever she was -so mainly in her study, but even during meetings he had joined her, refusing his nannies all together that prompted her to hold him on her lap despite the disapproving looks of her Council.

But could any of them truly blamed the boy? After what had happened, she understood how it had made Wilhelm even more clingy than before.

She thought that all was well, until she noticed that it wasn't.

Initially, she suspected that exhaustion from the constant work was what had created a gap between them, and with Wilhelm's current need to always have her nearby their nights had been separated by their son sleeping between them.

It was not until the end of the week that she had finally realized that he was acting differently toward her.

Usually, she would have fallen asleep along with their son before he had even returned to their bedchamber, but this time she had remained awake, hand absentmindedly patting the boy's hip as she watched the rise and fall of his chest. Perhaps the sight of her waiting for him had been the reason why his eyes had widened when he entered, though he had quickly composed himself as he made his round around the room, undressing and preparing himself for the night's rest.

His silence, and the way he had avoided her eyes, had been the reason why she had spoken like so.

"Of what, darling?" His tone was sweet, but she could feel the lie behind it. "I've already given you the reports over today's work, no?"

Avoiding topics of discussion had seemed to be a problem they both deeply have in them, and so desperately needed to be fixed. "I don't want to talk about that." She patted his side of the bed as she prompted herself up with her elbow, motioning him to join her. He sat down, but he had kept his distance. "Hans, what is it?"

His hand reached out instead, brushing away falling platinum strands of hair out of her face. The gesture was done without much word spoken, but when his eyes had met hers, she had given him a look of insistence that made him let out a sigh, almost tiredly. "It's just… I still need time to process all of this."

"All of what?"

"You died, Elsa." Raw and unfiltered words was spoken, the truth that even she still had a difficult time in accepting, making her shift as she pushed herself to sit up on the mattress now. "You did and then you didn't, and people had been treating it as if it was nothing." He ran his fingers through his own hair now, a gesture she knew well when he was frustrated. "But it's not nothing. For a moment there, we all thought that you died, that we wouldn't see you ever again."

She swallowed then, jaw tightening. "But I'm not, I'm here, with you."

"The damage has been done, Elsa." This had made her brows furrowed, for she could not understand what exactly he was trying to say. What damage? Had they not been working to fix it all? "Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to think that I would have to continue on living without you by my side? How desperate I was?"

She did. She suffered through a bad case of anxiety during his time away from her, when the pirates had posed a threat to their kingdom, when she thought that she would never see her husband again and that he would not have the chance to see their unborn son. But she had stayed silent, as this was not about her but him, he was the one that needed to let it all out.

"Look at Wilhelm," and she did, she followed the gesture of his hand, down to the sleeping boy between them whose hands were clenched tightly as they were thrown over his head. "Look at how frightened he is, Elsa. He followed you anywhere and everywhere, refusing anyone else, because he fears that he may lose you again. Have you not realized how traumatized he was?"

She knew that, she had to accept and live with the fact that she had put her son in such distress that was definitely not healthy for a child in such young age, to have her husband threw it right onto her face had only made her chest tightened. "Then what am I supposed to do? What do you want me to do, Hans?" Because she had ran out of idea on what to do, what course of action that she had to take to make it all better, to make Wilhelm grow up to be a normal child despite what his mother had inflicted upon him.

"To learn," he took her hand in his, squeezing, as his tone turned soft and gentle when he noticed the tears that had started to form in her eyes despite her best . "To understand that everything that you decided would not only affect you but your family as well."

"I'm sorry."

Hans tugged against their joined hands, urging her to come close, and she had to be very careful in moving across, making sure that she didn't disturb their sleeping son as she made her way around until she could nestle in her husband's embrace, fingers holding tight against the fabric of his shirt as she leaned her cheek against his chest.

He had every right to be angry at her, she had been so selfish with her action and her decisions back then, believing that she could do everything right. And yet, he still held her like so, still run his hand over her back.

His fingers came to hold her chin, tilting her head up as he leaned down to press his lips against hers, hand cradling the back of her head as her arms winded up wrapping around his neck, pulling him close as they rid of the distance -both physical and figuratively, between them.

Their kiss spoke more than words could ever did. She could feel his emotions even when none had spoken of it. She could feel his fear of losing her in the way he held her so tightly, his desperation in the way his lips moved.

"Please, talk to me." His words came in murmur, lips brushing against hers in the close proximity between them. "I can't lose you."

"You won't. I promise."

"I'm sorry, I'm confused."

In the rare times where she allowed herself to go out of the castle's walls -or rather how her paperwork had let her out of her study, she had taken the chance of overseeing the rebuilding of Arendelle herself, to actually see the excellent work her people had done instead of merely looking from afar and from the reports that she read.

She made sure to dress Wilhelm warmly, despite the fact that he had inherit her ability to withstand the cold a mother would always worry for her child, tugging his coat in place before she had lifted him up in her arms and began her short walk to the village, accompanied with just enough guards as to keep her and her son safe but not too much that it would be overwhelming.

The first thing she did was to look for Anna. Which, in turn, was truly not that hard, as her strawberry-blonde hair was unmistakable, striking under the sun. And if her hair had not been enough then her carefree laughter would have been a giveaway, seeing the Princess joked around with the other women as she approached.

And she had to admit that no, overseeing the progress at the town was not her reason in coming here after all.

People had greeted her when she had come, and she had nodded and smile in return, excusing herself in disturbing before she had tugged her younger sister along, away from the gathering crowd as she wished to talk to her in private over personal things.

But when she had spoken of what had troubled her mind, of her purpose of coming down from her study, she was only met with her sister's confused look despite the fact that she had been very throughout with her explanation.

"Anna," letting out a groan, she had run her palm over her face while Wilhelm had busied himself with the many snacks that were provided for the workers, though none had seemed to mind the young Prince stealing a cupcake or two. "Hans and I, we-"

"-are facing marital problems, yes, I get it." If she had understood then why did she have troubles in giving her the answer she needed. "Why are you asking me about it though? I'm not even married. This is definitely not my forte."

"How are you and Kristoff?"

The Princess' eyebrow rose at the sudden change of topic, lips parting as she took her time in answering. "We're… good? I mean, after everything that happened in the Enchanted Forest, we've been good, no troubles at all. We both have been busy with the tasks you gave us, but nothing out of the ordinary."

"Hans was upset about what happened to me in Ahtohallan."

"No surprise there." The Queen had glared at her sister's nonchalant comment, which in turn had made the strawberry-blonde haired Princess rolled her eyes. "His wife died in a place that none could reach, what did you expect him to react? I was upset as well, especially when you literally sent me away, but I've let it go the moment you told me Hans had scolded you about it."

"I just," her eyes had darted away from her sister for a moment to see his son receiving a cookie from Mrs. Olsen, a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips -if only for a short moment, from seeing the way people had treated Wilhelm so lovingly, before she had turned back at the Princess, lips pursuing this time. "I don't know what to do, Anna."

"Communicate, Elsa, talk your feelings out, just like Hans did." When she had merely frowned, the younger sister had thrown her hands up with an elaborate sigh. "You've been married for what, four years? Couples, not just married ones, need to communicate to make things work. The both of you have to talk and listen to each other. I'm honestly surprised you two managed to get this far if what you've said about your ability to talk things out was true, because it's bad, Elsa. You really need to discuss things with him, he's your husband after all, and stop deciding on things on your own."

Anna's words were more or else had similar meaning with Hans', and she was almost ashamed about it. Her sister was right, her husband was right, she had to be more thoughtful on each consequence that come with the decision that she took. It would be hard, but she would try.

The Princess reached forward, nudging her chin up until the Queen's eyes returned to look at hers. "We're your family, Elsa, we love you."

"Mama!"

Both sisters turned their heads, just as the young Prince had come waddling back, one cookie in hand. Coming to stand in front of her, he had raised both his hands up in a request to be lifted up, babbling as he was seated on his mother's lap. What she didn't quite expect was that Wilhelm had offered the cookie in his hand to her, lifting it up to her eye's level.

"Why thank you, darling."

But when she had taken hold of it, Wilhelm's fingers had remained curled around it, his brows furrowing. "Auntie Anna!" His other hand raised up, two fingers held up. He wanted her to break the cookie into two, to share with her sister. "Share, Mama!"

"He's literally the embodiment of Prince Charming." Anna cooed as she accepted her half share of the cookie, pinching her nephew's cheek out of pure adoration. "How can you be so cute, Wilhelm?"

The mention of his name, and the fact that he had just been called cute, had made the boy turned toward his aunt, grinning widely. That, and the fact that his cheeks had flushed from the cold air, had made both women's heart melted in awe.

"You should definitely make another one, Elsa."

Taken aback by her sister's bold and sudden words, her eyes had widened before they turned glaring at the Princess. "Anna!"

"What? Just saying." The younger sister shrugged, picking her nephew up after she had finished her cookie in merely two big bites as she stood up, holding him close as she turned her attention to him. "Don't you want a sibling, Wilhelm? A little brother or sister?"

She wasn't sure that the concept of sibling had been truly understood by her son, who had only giggled excitedly as his aunt made funny faces at him. He knew Anna was his aunt, but to what degree? He had called her that because she told him to call her 'Auntie Anna' after all.

And even if she wanted to, she was unsure if she could.

It took her and Hans two long years before they had discovered she was pregnant with Wilhelm, despite the fact that most women would have turned up with a child shortly after marriage. Her son was nearing the age of two as well, and while she and Hans had never tried to prevent pregnancy, she had not gone through any of the symptoms that would tell her that there was another little one growing within her.

She feared she may only produce one heir.

"Elsa!" The Princess' impatient call had told her that it was not her first time calling for the older sister, though the previous ones had gone unheard. When she had looked up, Anna had already made her way halfway across the field, holding Wilhelm's hand as the boy attempted to get free from his aunt's hold. "Come on, before Prince Charming here manages to escape."

Standing up, she was quick to catch up, lifting her son up despite his whine of protest. "I've told you not to run away, my darling Prince." She moved to kiss his cheek, but his resisting hand had stopped her as his feet kicked around. "Alright, alright." Sighing, she had lowered the boy back down, yet managing to catch his hand before he truly able to escape. "But not too far."

The moment his hand was released, Wilhelm was off running ahead, stumbling every once in a while, as his balance had not developed perfectly, but he was getting better each day and had not cry most of the time when he had fallen down.

The two sisters followed suit, maintaining a distance where Wilhelm wouldn't protest but they were still able to keep their eyes on him.

"He's awfully sprightly." Anna commented, as her arms wrapped around her older sister's.

"It's the sugar."