A/N: Thank you, everyone, for waiting so patiently. This chapter was originally longer, but I decided to upload this first half now, rather than make you guys wait for me to rewrite the rest of it.

I've been feeling burnt out of everything lately, life has been stressful and writing has not felt like an escape like it normally does. I will be releasing chapter 23 and the epilogue, but you'll have to be a little patient with me while I figure everything out.

Thank you for following this fic for so long, I love this story and it means a lot that you all care so much about it, so I really do hope you enjoy.

Elsa hummed as pancakes sizzled on her skillet. Their arch smell fluttered into the air, forcing its way into her mind and causing her mouth to water heavily. They weren't just any pancakes. No, Elsa added a Christmas touch to them. She expounded plain batter with cocoa powder, a tad of sugar, and crushed peppermint, and the aroma it produced was absolutely heavenly- or should she say

Christmas-y?

Anna wasn't awake yet, but the elder decided that it'd be nice to have breakfast all ready when her soporific sister finally roused.

So, Elsa cooked to the tune of Jingle Bells with a silly grin on her face. Her heart fluttered like a butterfly's wings, and even passed her hunger, her stomach was alive, buzzing busily with hundreds of bees. She felt light on her feet, her movements were smooth and flowing as she flipped a pancake and removed another from the skillet. Excitement powered through her body like a storm. Today was going to be, well, a Christmas long overdue.

"Mmm, that smells good," a sleepy voice commented from the stairs. Elsa smiled at her sister. Anna was rubbing sleep out of both of her eyes, dressed in a green night gown now. Her hair was a wonderful flow of chaos, sticking up every which way and flanking her head with fiery arms and tails. She smacked her lips a few times. "What is it?"

"Pancakes," a mildly blushing and proud Elsa said.

"Pancakes? It smells like a chocolate factory in here!"

Elsa giggled. "Well maybe that's because I made them specially for you."

The red seeping into freckled cheeks was noticeable. Anna was now next to Elsa in the kitchen, grinning as wide as can be. "For me, huh? Chocolate pancakes," she mused out loud. "You just might be the best sister- girlfriend- both, I guess, ever!"

Elsa's heart bolted out of her chest. Girlfriend, she repeated in her mind. I like the sound of that. It sounded official. Sure, she didn't care that much to label it, but it was more secure seeming, almost like it put a layer of stability on their relationship. That likely stemmed from the fact that now she knew that's how secure Anna was in their relationship. In any case, Elsa readily approved of the terminology.

"I'm the best for the best," she finally responded.

Anna smiled at this. "So are they ready like now?"

"How impatient," Elsa chortled. "But yes, breakfast is quite ready."

The younger sibling just about squealed with joy. She leaned in quickly and placed a quick but forceful kiss on her elder's cheek, burning it red. When she pulled away, however, Anna didn't let herself farther than a few inches from Elsa's face, which earned her a raised eyebrow and a bemused smile. "By the way," Anna began, lower and in almost a husky tone, "Merry Christmas." She said it in just barely a whisper, letting her breath slide onto Elsa, who's skin shuddered and heart raced at the intimacy of the wish.

"Merry Christmas to you, t- mm." She was cut off by soft lips finding her own. She purred into the kiss and placed her arms tightly around her sibling.

When the two finished, Elsa returned her attention to breakfast. They ate, and Anna made some sort of comment with her mouth full. Based on the almost vociferous volume and wild arm gestures, Elsa concluded that it must have been a compliment on her cooking.

Breakfast was wonderful and all, but through the full meal, Elsa kept looking forward to what she knew was coming next: presents. Excitement didn't rise like the steady buzz of a bee hive to receive gifts, but rather to give them. She was certain of this because she hid Anna's first gift not too far away and fully intended on bestowing it as breakfast ended. And that she did. "Wait here," she said as she stood to get the wrapped parcel, bridling Anna's chance for retort.

Younger eyes lit up as they locked onto a rather large gift. With a slanted smile, Anna giggled "okay okay, but you're gonna have to open one right after."

Elsa shrugged, pretending to be unconscionably bored at the idea. "If you insist."

Anna gleefully rolled her eyes and shook her head. "That'll have to do."

With a smirk, the elder nodded. "Yes. Now, open it!" She handed her younger a medium sized box.

"I think you might be more excited for this than me," the redhead teased, grinning and peeling away the wrapping paper like a sloth.

Elsa bit her lower lip in a tight, enthusiastic grin. She nodded as her hands clamped together as if capturing the excitement of the moment between her palms and her stomach purred like a nervous cat.

Anna rolled her eyes playfully as she looked back down at her gift, now discarding the paper. She opened the box, and Elsa watched, giddy inside when she saw a little sparkle of magic brighten up her sister's eyes. The widened orbs stared for a moment, then Anna whispered "Whoa, Elsa, it's-" she cut herself off, standing back and draping the gown upon her body to guestimate how it looked on her. "it's beautiful! I just wish I could have worn it to our dance," she fantasized out loud.

A blush flooded pale cheeks. "I'm glad you like it," the elder responded.

Anna smirked. "Don't play dumb, you knew I'd like it."

Elsa returned the lopsided grin. "Yes I did. You are, after all, predictable."

A brown eyebrow raised high above teal eyes. "Predictable, huh? Were you thinking that last night, too?" Anna's inflection was confident. She already knew she'd won that battle of wits.

The room felt hot, and, recalling the previous evening, so did Elsa's womanhood. "Y-ye- um, okay, okay, you're not always predictable.

"Good," the younger said, keeping the ball in her sister's court, and driving it home hard, "because then tonight would be no fun."

Now, Elsa's eyes widened to the point of stretching. Her breath became dry and fast, and her heart skipped a couple beats, struggling to regain its regular rhythm. She fought to find words, but none would surrender. They held her tongue tight as she choked on them. "I..." She was silent for another few seconds before regaining herself. She realized, with a jolt of excitement and a pinch of trepidation, what she had to do next. "I have something for that," she retorted as huskily as she could, yanking out another box wrapped in colorful paper.

Anna looked utterly dumbfounded, staring with an agape mouth and eyes fluttering in astonishment. "You- wait what? You do? I mean, that's great but- but I, Elsa, you're too clever for you own good sometimes," she finally settled for, taking the box with a blush.

Elsa could hear her own heart beating as she grinned. Her stomach churned. She had a feeling Anna would like it by this point, but her mind was still riddled with doubt. She wanted to play it cool, but couldn't help explaining "it was a coincidence."

With a playful roll of her eyes, the younger girl quipped "well don't tell me that, silly goose."

"Fine," she elder relented, "I planned it all."

With a quick not of approval, Anna said "that's more like it," and turned her attention to the box. She tore it open and Elsa watched an eyebrow raise very high and red seep like a shadow onto her sibling's cheeks.

Elsa did her best not to faint.

"You- you actually did have something for that, huh?" It was more of a statement than a question as Anna pulled out the Christmassy underwear.

Elsa nodded, red as a tomato.

"They're- well, they're gorgeous and-" she made direct eye contact with her elder, lowering her voice and lathering it in sensuality- "sexy." With that, pink lips formed a steep smirk as Anna laid the set over her body, still looking right at Elsa.

Elsa was pretty sure that her heart was beating so fast that it popped or something. "Do you um- you do- do you like them?"

Anna nodded slowly. "Oh yes, yes I like them very much, but I'm more excited to see how much you like them on me."

Blue eyes nearly popped out of their skull. Elsa took a sharp, dry, and unsatisfying breath in as her knees began to wobble.

"But," then younger girl started, obviously having mercy for her elder, "that's an issue for tonight!" She rummaged behind herself and seemingly magically materialized a box with festive wrapping. "This, however, is something for right now," she stated proudly, extending the gift forward.

Elsa's vision became less spotty as her nerves slowed their rattling and she came out of under the landslide that their previous conversation piled on top of her. She gave familiar teal eyes one last excited glance as she took the offering, hands still shaking from Anna's teasing.

After she took a few moments, the elder finally put forth her focus onto the present in her hands. She grinned, her shaking stomach now giving way to jittery excitement.

The tearing sound rippled in the air and Elsa uncovered a box. It was fairly light, and she couldn't elicit much of a noise by giving it a little shake. Elsa's mind began to race, frantically seeing if she could guess the contents before she opened it. It wasn't a branded box with pictures of anything on it, it was just a plain old brown box. "Okay that's enough staring, open it!" Anna's voice startled Elsa.

Giggling, the woman in the spotlight plucked at the tape holding the package. She quickly uncovered a small assortment of items. First, she found the shoes, light blue sneakers that looked quite comfortable; then she saw the headphones. Little ones, again, very comfortable looking, but this time darker blue. They matched nicely with the sneakers.

Elsa paused, furrowing her brows at the odd two gifts until she was interrupted by "keep going!"

Unable to help a tug at the corner of her mouth, Elsa dug through a mass of tissue paper. She pulled something out, heart skipping a beat when she saw that it was a rather nice Kindle. Elsa's mind felt a little numb as she processed the expense- and extent- of this gift. Her mouth moved mutely for a few moments as her heart burned with the almost painful glow of love for her darling. After a time of choking down the gift, Elsa managed an appropriately sarcastic comment. "So you're saying I need to start exercising?"

Anna giggled and rolled her eyes in mirth. "No, silly, I just thought it'd be nice for you to walk around, enjoying nature while you listen to some audiobooks, paperbacks are so last year." She added the last part with a dose of exaggeration and a wink, definitely aiming to tease Elsa's love of reading books.

All in all, the elder decided almost immediately, this was a prefect gift. She'd not even thought about getting audiobooks, and the prospect of walking and listening to them made her ecstatic! "Anna, I- I don't know what to say- I love you," she gushed.

Elsa was so busy musing over the gift and basking in the respondent "I love you too," that she completely blanked on the fact that she had another present for her dear sister for several minutes.

"Oh wait, Anna," she said, breaking the silence between them and bursting into action. "I have one more thing for you." She produced a tiny, elegantly wrapped box with ruby red paper and golden ribbons around it.

Anna gingerly took it, mouth hanging open in a grin, preparing to flap and make some sort of noise, but Elsa interrupted her. It's- It's um, not as good as yours," she said diffidently to the floor.

"Elsa," the younger said almost scoldingly, "I don't know what it is yet, but I know you, and I know nothing you'd get me can be anything less than perfect." The comment was somewhat playful, but was feathered with a certain kind of deadpan honesty.

Rich, red lips twitched into a grin. "Just open it, you kowtowing goose."

"I live to serve," Anna poshly stated, bowing slightly as she began tearing the paper.

In no time, she had nearly revealed the precious core within protective layers, and Elsa held her breath. In just those few seconds, she managed an hour's worth of over-thinking. She worried that Anna would find it stupid or cheesy. Elsa became self-conscious, hiding behind her braid for the first time in a long while.

But it was too late to take it back, for the younger girl was pulling the locket out right at that moment. Her teal eyes were wide, glimmering like gold in the sun, and her face was lifted into a mesmerized grin.

"Oh my God, Elsa, this is- these are gorgeous," she exclaimed as a dainty finger traced the tiny but ornate carved inlays of the locket and the contour of the delicate key.

A blush rushed upon porcelain cheeks and relief and vivid joy accompanied it.

"I love it, but um, but why the key?" The strawberry blonde was examining the little trinket closely, quickly fitting it into the keyhole. So she'd figured out what it does, but not why Elsa chose a locket and key of all things.

Elsa took a deep breath. "It's um," she began self consciously, "it's you." Fingers laced in her own silky, thick braid, the elder sister took a small, defensive step back. She knew Anna wouldn't laugh, but that didn't expunge her from the whining pit of embarrassment sinking in her stomach.

An eyebrow raised. "It's me?" Anna enunciated extra to pronounce her confusion.

"Mhm," Elsa nodded, face warming like it was underneath the summer sun. "You see, when um- before, when I was stuck inside I sort of, well I imagined using a key to open up the front door, and that'd lead me to happiness."

Testing a glance at her sister, Elsa found that Anna looked utterly confused, but remained intent on understanding. There was no giggling, not even a twitch at the mouth. She was taking this seriously, and that helped smooth over the feeling grinding Elsa's gut. Anna did, however, see the need to snap the tension farther. "Yes, that's generally how people open doors, Elsa."

With a strained, half suppressed chortle, Elsa said "Indeed, but this was different." She met her love's teal eyes, which were still focused, if not looser than before. "It was a the phobia locking me in, not a physical lock. I had decided that to be happy I needed two things. The first was to just overcome my phobia." Elsa took a deep breath, she realized she'd said all of that without pauses. So she very purposefully took a reprieve and locked with her sister's eyes. "Not only did I need you for that but, but the other thing I needed, well it was you." For the first time in quite a while, Elsa felt exposed in front of her Anna.

A few silent, drawn out moments of consideration passed. They felt like rubber bands, stretching farther and farther, and becoming more and more tense as they did so. Elsa began to physically retreat a step, shielding herself with her hair, much like a child would with a blanket.

That is, until Anna spoke. With a smirk, she commented "that was a very roundabout way to say that I make you happy," Then raising the necklaces for consideration.

Elsa's cheeks felt like licks of flame.

"But it makes sense."

Muscles that the elder hadn't even realized were still tensed became laxed.

"And," the bubbly sibling continued, "this might just be the most thoughtful gift I've ever received, and it means a lot." She was pointedly serious, especially rounding the end of her statement, the kind of directness that made Elsa's heart flutter. Anna placed the locket around her neck.

"I- I'm glad you like it."

Warm, pink lips grinned. Anna closed the gap between them, stopping only when she was very near her sister. She raised the key in the air. "And I think you should wear this one." The seemingly only stopped to take in her elder's confused expression, not waiting for any vocal inquiry. "Because you're my key to happiness, for lack of a better term."

Elsa melted slightly inside, and her knees did, too. Gentle hands guided the necklace into place. Elsa mumbled "that's exactly what I used to call it."

With a teasing smile, Anna whispered "I know you so well."

Elsa giggled. "Yes you do."

"Okay Elsa, are you ready to go?" Anna stood by the front door, holding it cracked open.

Elsa took a deep breath. Her insides rattled, unable to sit still in the maw of anxiety clouding her mind. Her skin was flushed with nervousness as she unsteadily exhaled. She reminded herself of what Anna pointed out the previous evening. I am ready to talk to Rapunzel. "Yes, let's go."

"Okay." The fiery red head, now dressed in a Christmas sweater that was supposed to be ugly, but looked quite dashing on Anna, swung the door open, allowing her elder to pass through the portal first.

Elsa did so, and as she passed the threshold into the flurrying, sharply cold Christmas air, she felt Anna place a hand firmly on her back, stabilizing the unsteady gait of her heart just as it was climaxing. Elsa wondered if Anna knew. If she was aware that right then, no earlier and no later, Elsa needed the contact, or if it was merely coincidence. She decided that it wasn't a mistake.

The car ride was turbulent. Or at least Elsa's mind was during it. Anna held her hand the entire way, which was a much appreciated, and probably needed anchor point in the confusing winds of Elsa's mind.

In just a short drive, they pulled in. It was absolutely arcane to Elsa as she stepped out of the car, being the one to arrive at her friend's place, not vise verse. She felt unsteady on her feet, the oddity of her situation sinking in slowly like water into a sponge. It'd been years, so many that she totally forgot that she used to do such a thing: go to Rapunzel's house. What made her feeling even weirder was the nostalgic sense of homeliness she felt when looking at the face of the house. She'd spent countless hours here, talking to Rapunzel and Anna, feeling as securely at home as in her own abode.

But not today. She felt like she wasn't quite welcome, for some strange reason. Maybe it was the length of time she'd been away, or the circumstances of her visit.

Elsa closed her eyes and focused on a deep breath. She found Anna's hand with her own once she re-introduced sight to her senses. "Okay," Anna said, "let's go." Not pushy or rushed, just suggestive enough to get Elsa's legs working.

Work they did. Before she knew it, before she was ready for it, they were at the front door. The siblings made eye contact, and after a moment Elsa produced a determined nod. Anna was right, she was ready for this, she just had to prove it to herself. The doorbell rang, the noise seemingly kicking her heart with a steel toed boot. Elsa caught her elusive breath.

The next few seconds were stretched out, expanding far beyond their natural breadth. A thud came from inside the house, to mirror the reckless beating of Elsa's heart. She just repeated to herself I'm ready for this, I'm ready for this, while squeezing her Anna's hand. This earned a soft pat on the back and a whispered "you're doing great, Elsa. It'll be good to see her," which soothed like ice on a burn.

The footsteps were at the door, and Elsa only had a moment to beg herself not to faint before it swung open.

There stood Rapunzel. Grinning, freckled, in an ugly Christmas sweater. Right there was the girl that Elsa tried so hard to love. And before Elsa could even muster up the strength to say hello, those green eyes in front of her met her own and went as wide as softballs.

"Elsa! You- you're here, but you- you-" she turned to Anna. "She's," she exclaimed, pointing at Elsa then looking back at her, "here! You're here! Anna, this is so much more than just a surprise!" Rapunzel bounced on her feet as she realized this.

Just like that, the thick ice between them was broken, and the eldest didn't feel nearly as uncomfortable with this. In fact, she giggled a little bit at how excited Rapunzel was becoming. It was like watching a dog see the mail truck arrive. "Yes," Elsa agreed, "I'm here."

Before Elsa really had any time to react, she was being squeezed like a stress ball from every angle. The buzz of being hugged by Rapunzel flickered with familiarity as she recalled what it felt like when they were dating.

But this felt cozy. Not sensual or needy, not like when they were together. This felt like a best friend being excited for her best friend. Elsa grinned almost placidly, relaxing as their relationship began to slide back in place, like snow down a mountain. She whispered gently "I've missed you, Rapunzel," without even realizing she was speaking. It was natural and true. She missed her friend so dearly, and that weighty realization was now, as she finally got her back, pouring over her like rampant rain. It made her throat feel lumpy and her eyes water.

Rapunzel pulled to be at arm's length. "Awe, Elsa, I've missed you too." The green eyes before Elsa were strained, but Rapunzel's lips were smiling surely. "Now," she announced suddenly and loudly, turning to include Anna in the upcoming demand. "Don't you two just stand out here in the cold, come in, I think you owe me and explanation." She gestured at Elsa to make her curiosity clear.

"Yes, I think we do," Anna agreed. But much to Elsa's befuddlement, her sibling sounded... nervous? No, that' can't be right. Jealousy was another option that crossed Elsa's mind, but she had seen Anna jealous, and this was not it. Elsa pushed it to the back of her mind and followed her sister inside.

Before Elsa knew it, they were all sitting on the couch with hot cocoa in hand. Rapunzel's house was decorated for the season as well. It felt like a cozy getaway in a crazy winter storm. Elsa let the heat from her mug seep into her fingertips, snaking pleasantly deeper into her body as she naturally leaned against Anna. She took a moment to appreciate the magnanimous welcome she'd received.

"When?" Rapunzel demanded with a Mcgonagall-like scold to her voice and leaning forward in interest.

"A few weeks ago," Anna calmly responded.

"Okay, okay," Rapunzel bounced in place, shaking her hands to let out some of her excess thrill. "How? I mean, Elsa, you're strong, but this was so- so sudden! How'd you do it?"

The air thickened and the room no longer felt cozy, but rather strangling. Elsa sat still as a statue once put under the spotlight. She remained stunned as the memory of how she overcame her phobia flooded through her. The fear of rejection after kissing her sister. She couldn't tell Rapunzel that, could she? Heart beating at the bars of its cage, Elsa looked at Anna for support. "I..."

"She um," Anna tried to help, "you see, it's actually a really funny story. "Elsa was- Elsa was stressed about something," she sent a little, wry grin at her elder, "and she kinda forgot where she was." Anna then faked a laugh.

Rapunzel leaned in farther, if at all possible. "What made you that scared!? Oh my god, did your dad do something!?"

Anna looked anxiously at Elsa while the latter squirmed in her seat. Her heart was thudding in her throat, and talking felt like choking. As for the younger, she looked like she was begging to say something, asking permission.

And there was only one thing she'd be asking about. Elsa's eyes bulged in horror. Resolute terror. Her dear sister wanted to tell Rapunzel about them. That must be why she looked nervous earlier!

"No," she silently and urgently shot back to Anna with a quick, curt shake of her head.

"Okay, okay, too far," Rapunzel broke the tension that she could obviously feel. "You don't have to answer, it's okay, Elsa." There again was another reason, previously lost in memory, that Elsa missed her best friend. Because Rapunzel, although ever-curious and hungry for knowledge, would set aside her desire for the sake of Elsa's comfort. Every time. It felt like stones tumbling from her shoulders.

Anna butted in, thankfully. Placing her hand firmly on her sibling's knee, she assured "we'll tell you when Elsa's ready, okay?" To Rapunzel.

The golden blonde nodded in approval, but Elsa didn't pay much attention to that. She was busy hanging on and probably over-analyzing Anna's last words. When I'm ready? Did that mean Anna's ready? Maybe it was to imply that Anna was okay with telling Rapunzel about their more than sisterly interactions, even if she herself wasn't quite ready yet. Elsa tried not to dwell on this, but she couldn't avoid it. Like a whirlpool, it slowly stirred her back in every time she started to drift away.

Luckily, she wasn't left long to her musings. "I think that's a yes for her," she heard her sister say in a teasing voice.

The room flickered as Elsa blinked her eyes rapidly to regain her position in the conversation. "A- a yes to what?" She looked at Anna, who silently differed her to Rapunzel.

Smiling green eyes looked back. "Hot chocolate, silly, I'm getting you some." She smirked.

Blushing a little, but not entirely uncomfortable, Elsa looked away and said "oh, then yes, that's a definite yes." It's not like Rapunzel wasn't familiar with the ice blonde occasionally spacing out, anyway.

"That's what I thought," their friend said victoriously, bounding from her seat. Elsa was left sitting alone with Anna. They remained silent, and the atmosphere was relaxed. She let herself bask in the hot tub of rekindled friendship and pondered how much she'd missed Rapunzel. It made Elsa feel… at peace, finally.

She looked at Anna and smiled, their lips not two feet apart. "You were right. This was a good idea."

In fact, she was having such a picture perfect Christmas, that she barely even thought to wonder where her father had been all day.