[Backstory chapter] In which Anna waits for Elsa after being invited to live together.

Searching

Anna waits. Sits on her suitcase, lower back protesting; but nope, she's not going to sink into those comfortable waiting chairs. Her sister will be here any minute now. Traffic—no, a flat tyre. That's it.

It strikes her that she doesn't even know if Elsa drives; just like how she doesn't know Elsa's favourite season or dessert or TV show.

The airport is crowded, and Anna can't stop searching.

Twenty minutes. Thirty. Fifty.

She pulls up her messages and sees rows of bubbles—all hers. But she's used to that; it's been like that for years. She's written good morning! and happy national chocolate day! and miss you heaps! She's asked whatcha up to today? and are you coming home this summer? She's sent duck photos and pug photos and family photos.

She's only ever called once, though. And she still doesn't know what it would be like to talk to her sister, because all they exchanged were muffled sobs.

The funeral was crowded, and Anna couldn't stop searching. Nor could she stop making excuses for Elsa, because if there were no delayed flights or flat tyres or old ladies to help across the road, then that left Anna holding the question of how could you?

So she stopped messaging, in case those three words slipped out of her mind and onto the screen.

But last month, it was her phone that vibrated. At first, Anna thought it was a glitch; she stared, scrolled up and down, restarted her phone, and stared some more. The single message on the other side of the chat remained unchanged: Would you like to come and live with me?

So now Anna is on the other side of the country, rocking back and forth on her suitcase at the arrivals gate, head turning this way and that, searching.

She wonders if Elsa left the house without her phone and missed Anna's I'm here! messages.

She wonders if Elsa is busy and forgot the date.

She wonders if Elsa has changed her mind.

Sixty minutes. One hour.

"… Anna?"

The suitcase rolls out from underneath her.

"A-Anna?! Are you okay? Wait, your suitcase—" She's still lying spreadeagled on the squeaky tiles when the not-stranger hurries back with her runaway luggage. "Are you okay? Did you hit your head?"

Anxious hands help her sit up, but Anna never makes it to her feet. She throws her arms around Elsa.

"I thought you weren't coming!" she blubbers.

There's a sharp inhale above her left ear. She thinks she's jinxed it. Maybe Elsa did change her mind, but she's so polite she came just to tell Anna that, no, they can't live together and Anna needs to return to that big, empty house that no longer feels like home.

Then she feels a featherlight embrace. "I'm sorry. My phone ran out of battery. I walked everywhere looking for you." A swallow followed by a whisper: "I kept thinking I'd passed you without knowing. Without recognising."

Anna squeezes tight and thinks, Me too.

Another long moment passes. Then another, because Anna expects Elsa to let go first, but they're both still holding on tight.

Finally, Elsa asks, "Ready?"

Anna realises how silly it was to worry about not recognising her sister's face when it's really Elsa she doesn't know—not yet. But for the first time in forever, at least she's got a chance.

She wipes her face and pulls back with a teary grin. "Are you kidding? I was born ready."

A/N: Because these dorks didn't think to go to the information desk and ask for a 'lost sister' announcement. And a reminder that these drabbles aren't in order—I'm sure you guys will figure out the 'flashback' ones, but it's also totally cool if you headcanon the events happening in a different order to what I had in mind. Thanks for reading and leaving such kind reviews!