So, this chapter is a little shorter, which I do feel bad about because this is later than I had meant. Unfortunately, I just got out of the hospital that I had been admitted to for a week, so I hadn't had access to the internet to write this, let alone post it. But I've posted it! And I hope to get the next chapter up soon. Also, I've got some one-shots that I'm working on that I hope to post soon as well, so keep your eyes peeled!

As always, please review, follow, favorite, etc. I appreciate constructive criticism, but I don't appreciate when people post random things that have nothing to do with my story. So please don't do that; I won't be approving them.

Thank you so so so much for sticking with me. I love this story, and I'm so excited to continue it!

~Isabelle

When did life become this place of madness?

Drifting on an empty sea of waves of sadness

I make believe I'm in control

And dream it wasn't all my fault

~When Your Feet Don't Touch the Ground, Finding Neverland

Chapter Thirteen: When Your Feet Don't Touch the Ground, Part 1

Elsa felt like she was underwater. She watched as Anna's mouth moved, forming words and questions, as Anna brandished the picture in her hand like it was a weapon. She had no idea how much of a weapon it was. Who is this man? Anna's voice came from far away, could barely be heard over the thundering of Elsa's heartbeat in her ears. Did Anna always look… wavy? Swaying? Elsa?

Then, a man's voice. His voice. Elsa…

Elsa…

Elsa!

"Elsa!" Hands gripped her, tight on her upper arms. She couldn't fight, couldn't make a sound. She was frozen. "Elsa, can you hear me?"

She almost melted with relief. It was Marshall. He had turned her to face him, concern written all over his face. He was stooped so that he could look her in the eye better. She blinked and managed to gasp a breath. The worry lines in Marshall's face lessened, though didn't vanish entirely. He looked over Elsa's shoulder.

"Anna, it's time to go," Marshall said.

"I'm not going anywhere until I get answers," Anna said petulantly. Elsa was sure that if she turned around, her sister would be stomping her foot as she had when they were children.

"You can get them from your parents, not your sister," Marshall said, his voice hard. It was clear that it was not an argument, at least not one that Anna would win. Anna huffed and stormed past them, sparing Elsa a dark glance. The picture was still in her hand. Elsa felt her breath catch.

"Elsa." Marshall's gentle tone brought her attention back to him. "Don't go there right now. Anna's itching for a fight, but let her pick it with your parents."

Elsa nodded vaguely. Marshall sighed and put his arm around her shoulders, steering her out the door and to his car.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked softly. She nodded again.

"Conceal, don't feel," Elsa whispered to herself. She wasn't sure if Marshall heard her or not. Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel.

Don't let it show.

"Surprise!"

Anna jumped in shock as Oaken's sprung to life, her friends and family beaming at her and throwing confetti. She looked around in shock, catching Jack's eye who grinned at her. She should have been ecstatic, particularly with the way that she had been treating her friends lately, left behind in the whirlwind that was her romance with Hans. But Anna felt numb. She could feel Elsa's presence behind her, subdued and not quite all there. Whoever was in that picture with her elder sister, he clearly wasn't a fond memory.

But her friends had gone to all this effort to plan a party for her, so Anna forced a smile and went to greet Rapunzel, who was bouncing up and down on her toes. In the corner of her eye, she watched as Marshall lead Elsa to a corner table, as her sister slumped into her seat and seemingly stared at nothing.

"Happy birthday, Anna!" Rapunzel said, smiling brightly. She wrapped Anna in a tight hug, who returned it with less enthusiasm.

"Thanks, Punz. I'm assuming you put this together?" Anna said.

"Jack started it, actually. Elsa, Kristoff, and I helped, though. I was on decoration duty, as you can probably guess," Rapunzel said. At the mention of Elsa, though, Anna's mind was sent in a frenzy once more.

"Anna, are you alright?" Jack's voice was at her shoulder. She turned around to see Jack standing next to her. He handed her a glass of punch, which she took and drank from. "Anna? Did something happen with Elsa?"

"I don't know, to be honest," Anna said hollowly. She tightened her grip on the paper cup in her hand. It crumpled between her fingers.

"Did you say something to her?" Jack asked. He glanced over at where Elsa was, concern etched on his face. Anna registered it but didn't have the brain power to ask any more questions. Her parents had finally come into view, smiles on their faces and a prettily-wrapped gift in her mother's hands.

"Happy birthday, darling," Iduna told her youngest, voice warm. Agnarr grinned next to her. Anna dug into her pocket and produced the picture once more.

"Who is this man?" she demanded. Though it didn't seem possible, her parents reacted worse than Elsa had. The gift fell from Iduna's hands and landed hard on the floor. Agnarr paled considerably and looked around the restaurant. The music still played and conversation still flowed; aside from the five of them standing in the group, no one else realized that something was going on.

"Where did you get that picture?" Agnarr asked.

"Answer the question, Papa," Anna said.

"Anna, what is that?" Rapunzel sounded confused. She could join the club as far as Anna was concerned.

"Anna, darling," Iduna said, her voice unnaturally high and a little faint, "this is your birthday party. Surely, you don't want to make a scene? Put the picture up."

"Who is in the picture with Elsa? And why did she look like she'd seen a ghost when I asked her about it?" Anna persisted. Her parents looked over at Elsa, who was still sitting at the table with Marshall. Eli had joined them and had a soothing hand on her shoulder. She held a cup between both of her hands and stared, unseeing, into the liquid.

"You showed it to Elsa?" Iduna asked at the same time Agnarr demanded, "What did she say?"

"Agnarr," Iduna admonished.

"We've discussed this before, Iduna," Agnarr replied hotly.

"What is going on?" Rapunzel asked. She turned to her cousin. "Anna?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," Anna said.

"Is Elsa okay?" Rapunzel asked. Jack turned on his heel and headed over to the young woman in question before anyone could answer.

"Mama, Papa, you're beginning to worry me. It's a picture. Why all this secrecy?" Anna practically begged.

"It's nothing, Anna," Agnarr said finally. Iduna looked at her husband like she would like to argue but ultimately nodded.

"He's right. It's just a picture from a long time ago. Let it go," her mother agreed. Anna grinded her teeth together.

"Oh, no. No, no, no. You don't get to act like this photo is some big conspiracy only to tell me that it's nothing. Why has Elsa suddenly gone catatonic over it? Why did you guys look so freaked out? What the hell is going on, and why won't anyone tell me?" Anna demanded. By now, the other guests of the party had caught on to the family argument. The music was still on, but all conversation had ceased and all eyes were on them.

"This is a party. Let's act like it, and drop this ridiculous subject," Agnarr said.

"It's not ridiculous!" Anna yelled. "Tell me the truth!" On the side of the restaurant, Jack was ushering Elsa out through the staff door, held open by Kristoff. He gave her a quick look of concern, but his gaze was quickly drawn to her younger sister in the middle of the diner. Anna stood firm in front of her parents, unwavering despite the attention she was gathering.

"Anna, you're making a scene. Don't you want to have a nice time at your party?" Iduna kept trying to mediate. Agnarr, however, was getting upset with his daughter.

"This is not how you talk to me," he declared. "You will show me some respect."

"Why? You don't show me any!"

"I will when you earn it!"

"And when did you earn mine? I don't have to bow down to you just because you're my father!"

"That's it!" Agnarr thundered. "The party is over! Anna, we're leaving." He stormed out of the diner, his wife following behind while attempting to calm him down. Anna stood in her spot for a moment, her fists clenched at her sides. She looked at the picture once more. The smirk on the man's face settled heavily in her gut. She needed answers.

She followed her parents out of the door.

"Well, uh," Rapunzel began, standing awkwardly in the wake of the argument. The guests—friends and family both new and old, like Flynn Rider and Merida—stared at her expectantly. "The diner is paid for, so… enjoy, I guess?"

The guests looked at each other with uncertainty, but proceeded to eat the food anyway. Kristoff walked up to Rapunzel after a few minutes.

"What the hell was that?" he asked. Rapunzel kept a smile painted on her face, but her eyes were uncomfortably wide.

"I have no idea."

The fresh air hit Elsa like a slap to the face. She gulped in a breath before she realized what she was doing, realized how little she had been breathing since she had seen that picture.

"Elsa, are you okay?"

Elsa turned. It was Jack, staring at her worriedly. A shudder worked its way through her body before she could stop it. Jack's hands shot out as if to catch her but awkwardly dropped back to his side. They were both just standing there, not knowing what to do or say to each other.

Elsa struggled to focus on his face. She traced his features from top to bottom, the slope of his nose to the point of his chin. Traditionally handsome, but still something almost elfin in his face, a hint of mischief. Blue eyes like sapphires, with the depths of the ocean. White hair that fell onto his forehead, as if to emphasize his boyishness. Did he dye his hair? Elsa realized she didn't know.

His mouth was forming words now. Was he saying something? Elsa couldn't hear anything but her pulse; it was beating in her ears.

"Elsa!" Both of his hands were on her shoulders, shaking her. Elsa dimly wondered where Marshall was that he was letting Jack handle her like this, but at the same time, she didn't quite care. No one touched her like this. No one touched her, period.

"Yes?" she finally answered.

"What's going on?" Jack asked. His hands were still on her shoulders. His face was close to hers, maybe less than a foot away. She was struck by the sudden urge to get closer to him, surprising her greatly. She longed to lose herself in his embrace. Let him wrap his arms around her, bury her face in his neck, feel his heartbeat against her own. She shook her head to dispel those strange, yet not unpleasant, thoughts.

Through the front doors, her parents appeared, Anna following shortly after. They made a bee-line for the car, though none of them appeared to exchange words. Elsa's breath caught in her throat. Were they going to tell Anna, finally, after all these years? Elsa looked back at Jack.

"Nothing," she said. "Thank you. Excuse me. I… I have to go." Elsa turned to leave. Behind her, she could see Marshall and Eli standing by their car. They apparently had followed her out. But before she could take another step, Elsa looked over her shoulder at Jack once more. "Thank you. Really." She left before he could say anything.

So I totally forgot that I had this chapter to write before the big reveal, but it is definitely next chapter. You probably know anyway. But still.

Thanks for reading, seriously. I appreciate every follow, favorite, and review. I appreciate the knowledge that what I'm writing is interesting and means something to people, so thank you. From the bottom of my heart 3

~Isabelle