Chapter 22

After the redhead finally walks to the living room to meet the others, the blonde host looks the front door and goes to place the dessert in the fridge and then to take away the coats of her guests.

"So, you are Anna, Elsa talked a lot about you. It's nice to finally put a face on that mysterious girl." Punzy gets closer to the younger woman and lets her gaze to wandering all over her. 'I can't deny the fact that she's attractive. But there's something else..'

"She talked about me..?" Anna asks surprised and at the same time a bit embarrassed. The brunette only nods at that questions. "Well, it's nice to meet you too, I heard you two arrived this morning. How was your flight? From where are you? If I may ask.."

"It was good, and yes, you may ask don't worry. I used to leave here in this town, but life brought me somewhere else," She looks at Flynn and smiles. Anna follows her glare and notices how much love there's between the two. Elsa's cousin fiancée is talking with the other guys, probably about sport or cars or other manly topics. "To my heart." Punzy finishes.

Anna's eyes are searching for a certain blonde and as soon as they meet her, she stops breathing. When the redhead was at the threshold greeting Elsa, she couldn't help but stare at the doctor, she was wonderful in that dress and right now they all are in the living room and there's a lot more light than in the threshold and that makes easier Anna's job, which consists in scrutinizing her favorite doctor. She's wearing a dark dress just a little bit below her knees and as soon as she gives her back to the others, the redhead gasp at the view: her back is a bit uncovered and can't help but notice that she's not wearing a bra.

'She's.. like a goddess on the earth.'

Punzy smirks at the frozen face of the woman in front of her who's staring at her cousin. After Elsa turns her back, the brunette seems to hear something coming from the redhead and she faces her to check if she said in fact something.

"Anna? Have you seen something you like?" Punzy teases her.

"Yeah.. wait what? Sorry, have you just said something?" Anna comes back from her trance state.

"You were almost drooling." The brunette chuckles at the other woman's face who's blushing.

"Well.. I.." She tries to say something but her tongue doesn't want to collaborate with her.

"Oh don't worry, I guess it's because of Elsa.." the redhead doesn't know how to reply to that, it's not like she was wrong, but she's the blonde's cousin, they just met.

'Damn.. am I that obvious? I didn't realize I was staring.. she was talking to me, how rude of me not to pay attention on her words..' Punzy points at the blonde who's in the kitchen. "..she's a great cook. It looks delicious, I can understand why you were drooling."

'Sure.. it was because of that..' Anna nods at the brunette and they walks in the kitchen to join the guys.

"Wow.. Elsa, the smell is so good!" Kristoff says sitting at the table and watching at the plates. "Anna, be careful, she could beat you when you two will do the cooking contest."

"We'll see, I can't deny it looks great.. but maybe I still have chance to be the winner, we haven't tasted it yet." She smirks at the blonde cook.

"I don't know anything about this.. challenge between you, but I can't wait to eat something! I'm starving. Punzy didn't let me eat anything during the day.. only something at lunch and nothing more." Flynn says almost in tears.

"I told you, you need to eat less junky food and this is my cousin's cooking and I want you to fully enjoy it. You'll thank me later."

"It's been a while since I ate something homemade and I'm sure your skills are improved since the last time." Marshall smile at his friend.

"Thanks guys, I just want to warn you.."

"..it's poisoned? Ah! I'll win!" Anna exclaims and puts out her tongue, the blonde's aware of the playful tone of the redhead and reply at that shaking her head and showing her tongue too.

"Nope, just something different that maybe some of you haven't ever eaten before. But, I hope you all enjoy the dinner. Before we start, wine or beer?" Elsa is in front of the fridge taking out a bottle of wine and then one of beer.

Kristoff and Marshall decides to not drink neither of them taking the excuse of being the drivers, then Elsa offers them a coke, which they accept without a second thought. The host opts for wine, while the others beer.

"So.. what do you think?" Elsa asks the redhead at her right.

"I have to admit it.. it's delicious. You're really great." She says after finishing to chew and the blonde blushes a little at the statement.

"Tell me Marshall, for how long you know her?" Kristoff asks to the big guy in front of him.

"Well, since she was a kid. Her parents and I were friends." He says.

"Oh! How was she when she was little? I bet she was a cutie!" Anna steps in their conversation. She's imaging a little blondie running in circle in the room and her parents calling for her and chasing her.

"I think she was cuter."

"Ehy!" Elsa speaks and sends a look to her friend, he just chuckles.

"She wasn't like she's now, actually she was the opposite."

"Yeah, I remember.. now she seems such an adult, but when we were little she was a brat! At least when her parents weren't around." Punzy smiles remembering the old times when her cousin and her were little and carefree. "She was alive." She states meeting her icy blue eyes.

Elsa stops her movements, she wants to answer-back but something prevents her to do so. What? The reality of that statement. She knows that the brunette is right. She stopped living once she became an orphan, she lost her light and from then on she spent her days in the dark.

Until now.

Anna looks at her left and sees how much sad Elsa looks, and she doesn't like it, she wants the blonde to smile, but she's aware that it's not always possible.

"But, I think that now things are changing, and I think I should thank you." Punzy speaks again, this time looking at the redhead and Kristoff.

"Honestly, I think you should thank Anna here.. your cousin and I didn't have a great start.."

"I'm your boss, I suppose to be bossy and bitchy." She smirks.

"I think you're right, your Majesty, Ice Queen." He answers back.

"That's what people are calling you know? It kind suits you, Elsa." Flynn says but then he returns to his meal, not giving too much attention to the topic of the conversation, he wants to eat and since he was starving, he's not that much interested in talking.

"That's because they don't know you! If they did, they wouldn't be such assholes." Anna complains. Even if it's not a secret that she doesn't like how people treat her doctor, Punzy is surprised to hear those words.

"You can't deny that she's difficult to deal with.." The brunette says.

"No, but.." She replied.

"Tell me, what were your thoughts at the beginning? When you didn't know her."

"I thought she was an interesting person, the first time I've seen her we were at the cafeteria, and she was telling Kristoff to finish chatting with me and go the check on a patient, then when I tried to talk with her she said she had other things to do and left, saying bye."

"Ice Queen, now I understand why." The brunette chuckles.

'Are they aware that I'm right here..?' Elsa thinks while listening to the girls talking. It's a bit embarrassing for her to stand there and has to hear what the two of them have to say, especially Anna, since she cares a lot of what that girl thinks.

"Well, that's understandable, I was rambling and she was working so.. but that's not a reason to call her like that. She's a great surgeon and I thought that since the beginning, when I was in the E.R. we officially met, so to speak, I knew she was called that, but I had the feeling that it wasn't true. In fact, I had the privilege to spend sometimes with her, and she's more than a good company. I'll admit that she doesn't open up to people easily, I had to work hard to arrive where I am now, but you know what? It's worthy." She looks at the now blushing blonde at her left and smiles. "I'm her friend and she's the best, even if she doesn't acknowledge it."

Punzy is taken aback from her speech, from an outsider it's like their together in a more than friend relationship, but she just said 'friend'. She takes a careful look at the redhead's eyes and she could swear she sees something, then she gives her attention to her cousin and notices that she's in the same situation as the other girl. 'They don't realise it.. how can somebody be so blind?'

"She's a keeper." Flynn speaks again. "Anna, I mean. Don't do anything stupid, Elsa." At that everybody look at him shocked and speechless.

"What? Why are you watching at me?" He looks down at himself. "Do I have something on my face?"

Anna and Elsa can't stop blushing while Kristoff tries to fight back a laugher. Marshall realises how much embarrassed the girls are and decides to lighten up the mood.

"Despite how much interesting is becoming this evening, why don't we try the dessert? I'm curious to eat what Anna brought us." The younger women look at him gratefully than Elsa stands up.

"Yeah, totally. Dessert on the way." She walks to the fridge and takes out the box and looks at it.

"Wait, I'll help you." Anna follows the blonde. They open the box together and Elsa stays with her mouth open.

"Wow.. did you bake it by yourself?"

"Yep, I hope you'll like it. It's-" She takes the cake.

"..a black forest cake. One of my favourite.." as soon as she cuts it she's surprised by how great Anna has been in baking it. The layers of chocolate, whipped cream and cherries are perfect. Just watching at it makes you drooling.

"Really? Oh, what a coincidence! I didn't knew what to make and I opted for my favourite one."

"Let me tell you: you chose well." After they finish to place each pieces of cake on the plates they bring them to the others and start eating them.

Soon enough they finish the dessert and don't stop saying how much great the cake was.

"I think the Masterchef challenge will be hard for both of you. You are both incredible." Kristoff says.

"Ehy, I'm not an expert of food or whatever but I could help you judge them when you'll do this competition." Marshall offers.

"Yes! Thanks! You'd help me a lot man!"

"Okay people, if you want you can move to the living room, I'll join you as soon as I put these in the sink." Elsa exclaims while she starts to collect the dishes.

"I'll help you cousin!" the blonde nods and they clear the table, in the meantime the others sit in the couch and talk about everything and anything.

"So.." the brunette starts.

"What?" the cousin asks checking if the table was clear enough.

"Anna."

"What about her?" Elsa stays still looking behind her at Punzy.

"She's nice, isn't she?"

"I told you." Elsa smiles at herself.

"What do you think about her?"

"What do you mean?" Elsa walks closer to the sink so that their conversation cannot be overheard by anyone.

"Well, I couldn't help but notice how you two look at each other. Do you like her?" Elsa looks away and starts playing with a fork.

"She's.. she's a good friend and I enjoy her company."

"Is she?" Elsa looks at her cousin confused. "Is she just a friend to you?"

'There.. I knew she'd ask something like that. What am I suppose to do now?' the blonde sighs and looks at the redhead who's chatting with Marshall. "I like her."

Punzy gently smiles at her and puts an hand on her shoulder, this shouldn't be easy for her to admit it out loud, especially to a member of her family. "It's okay, she's good for you. She brings you life and honestly? That's all that matters to me. I think you're finding your way to heal, Elsie."

Anna is to Marshall and they're talking when Etta jumps on the redhead's legs.

"Oh.. so you are Etta! You're so cute! Hi, I'm Anna." She says and the cat starts purring as her hand caresses her back.

"She's the daughter of your cat, right?" he nods. "Thanks." He looks at her confused.

"For what?"

"For giving her to Elsa. You know, she's happy with her. She sent me some pictures of the two of them and it's clear how much Etta helps. They love each other and it's nice to have a pet in your home, it's like you're not alone and you know there's someone waiting for you after work."

He smiles at himself and shakes internally his head.

"Etta may be helping that girl in the kitchen, she's not the one who helped her the most."

"You do?"

"No, well, we are old friends, as to speak, but I couldn't be able to let her feel really better after everything she's been through. Even if she kept saying she was fine I knew she wasn't for real, but then something happened."

"What happened?" Anna is curious now and stops caressing Etta.

"You happened." He chuckles at her wide open eyes. "You are some kind of blessing. She's more alive, she's happier, she's getting out from that dark zone. Thanks to you."

Anna has the feeling that Marshall is keeping something from her.

"Marshall can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What happened to her? Why does everyone keep saying that she wasn't alive anymore or stuff like that?" she is truly curious but at the same time she is concerned.

"You shouldn't ask me this, but her. I don't know how much you know about her. I'm sorry."

"No, I am.. Thanks anyway."

"Ah, here you are. Are you cheating on me?" Anna's startled by Elsa's voice and she turns her face to see her behind her and the couch.

"What?"

"Etta, I thought you loved me.." Anna looks down at her lap and notices that the cat keeps purring.

"I am sorry Els, maybe she prefers redheads." She smirks at the blonde.

"How was that? Like mother, like daughter?" Marshall says between chuckles.

"What was that about?" Punzy joins the guys in the couch. "Why are you chuckling Marshall?"

"Oh, you know.. Etta has a thing for redheads, just like someone we all know."

"Right! Elsa, you taught well your daughter." Punzy smirks at her cousin.

"Oh come on guys! Really!?" Elsa finds herself blushing for like the hundredth time that evening.

Author's Note: Hi everyone! I am really really really sorry for the wait, as my high school English's teacher used to say: I'm full-immersion in studying. Today I had my first exam and I'll be busy with the other exams until end of January.. So I won't be able to update until then. I hope you'll forgive me both the wait and the possibly mistakes in the chapter(s).

Again I am so sorry. And even if it's late: happy new year everyone! Thanks for being there and thanks for the support. I hope you'll enjoy the chapter, I wanted to give you something before disappearing again, but when I'll be back with the next chapter there'll be a surprise. Hopefully you'll like it.

So, take care everyone.