A/N: It's been a while! Chapters are being updated here to reflect slight edits made for weekly publication on AO3. The majority of changes are minor grammar/rewording, though occasionally a scene will be amended slightly, or even more rarely, added. I'm not planning on posting chapter 26 until I get up to date on AO3.

Chapter 01 - Just make sure you send me a postcard

Anna regretted answering her phone as soon as she saw the caller ID. She didn't speak much to her benefactors, but when she did she always managed to stumble over her words and remind them just how much of a klutz she was.

"Miss Summers," the voice on the phone greeted her formally.

"Oh hey, Idu - I mean Mrs Arendelle. How are you? We haven't spoken in like, what, 6 months."

Idiot. Why remind her of that? Anna sighed inwardly. And the only way she could make up for it was to throw more words at her.

"I mean, it's not a bad thing. Wait - I don't mean I don't like talking to you! I really like talking to you -"

"- Anna," she was cut off curtly. "Have you spoken to Elsa?"

The question was direct and Anna shivered but whether it was from fear, excitement, anxiety or just because it was going to be one of those conversions she did not know. She closed her eyes threatening to be overwhelmed by the mention of her best friend's name. At least they once were best friends. And even if Elsa had left her behind Anna hadn't forgotten about her. She knew she never would.

"No," Anna's reply was an octave higher than she intended. The silence that followed made her shuffle uncomfortably.

"Mrs Arendelle, I have class like, right now so maybe we could -"

"- I am sending you Elsa's address. Her father isn't well and Elsa has been very stubborn. She won't respond to me. She will listen to you."

Anna's breath hitched at the request. Was it even a request?

"What?" The words barely escaped her lips. Elsa had as good as dropped off the face of the Earth. How had they found her? Did they always know where she was?

Why hadn't they mentioned it to me sooner -

"- I've transferred you enough to cover your trains and any extra expenses you incur. Bring our Elsa home, Anna. You're the only one who can."

The call disconnected.

Anna stared at her phone dumbstruck. It beeped a moment later and an email popped up. The subject heading was simply 'Elsa'.

Elsa.

Anna wasn't sure if she wanted run five laps around the football pitch in pure elation or whether to throw her phone in the nearest garbage disposal unit. Preferably one which would have an incinerator.

A second notification popped up from her bank confirming the transfer of funds. Anna's eyes went wide when she saw the amount of zeros. They couldn't be serious. Then she remembered that the Arendelles were rich and had also funded her entire university course. And most of her recent life. Of course they could afford to drop thousands on her to bring their estranged daughter back home. It certainly didn't feel like a request at all. She was being treated like any member of their staff. She wanted to feel bitter but Anna just couldn't. Despite it all the Arendelles had looked after her in their own way. It wasn't as warm or loving as her own parents but it was something.

Without them... She forced herself not to dwell on different outcomes.

"Feisty-pants!" The shout broke her from her zombie-like trance. "Come on, otherwise you'll be late for chemistry!" Kristoff was dashing across the campus, rucksack slung over one shoulder.

Anna let out a strangled noise still unable to process words. He did a double take.

"Anna Summers, unable to speak?" He walked around her, surveying her carefully. Anna squeaked again, still looking dumbfounded between the phone and Kristoff. His eyes narrowed, and before Anna could step back he nimbly swiped it from her hand.

"Elsa, huh? Who is she? A new girlfriend?"

Anna leapt forward, reaching for the phone with grabby hands as he held it just out of her reach.

"Give it back you big oaf!" she demanded.

"Woah! You've been transferred how much?"

Anna let out a deep sigh, her shoulders sagging back. Any attempt to keep this quiet was well and truly blown. Then again, she'd have probably relayed the entire story to him either way.

"Kristoff, I really, really need a drink," she said exasperated, and with that chemistry class was out the window.

Kristoff took a moment to realise she was serious. Handing the phone back with an apologetic smile, he looped his arm in hers and pulled her along.

"It's what, 2:30? The student bar is open already, let's go," he said with a wink. Anna shook her head with a happy sigh and leaned into him.

The campus was small and the bar crowded even at this hour. It was a total dive but it was what Anna needed. Cheap alcohol and full of so many other drunk bodies that no one cared who she was. There was no judgement like back at school. Losing her parents and being as good as adopted by the Arendelles had been difficult and her classmates hadn't exactly been the most understanding. Especially since the only girl she really cared to hang around with was two years her senior.

Elsa.

A flash of platinum blonde and the scent of winter pine cones snapped Anna away from her dreary school lunch.

"Hey look, it's the new girl." One girl on Anna's table sneered. The brunette rose to her feet to block the newcomers path.

"So, new girl. How about you sit with us?" The offer would have seemed sincere had the table of girls, Anna aside, not broken into a fit of barely restrained giggles.

The new girl glanced over and Anna caught her brilliant blue eyes. Within them she was overwhelmed with a profound sense of loneliness. Even behind a cold mask she felt as if she could see right into the woman's soul.

With a simple shake of her head, she went to step around the brunette.

"Excuse me?" The brunette's tone had taken a darker turn. The blonde simply ignored her and continued on to an empty table.

"Obnoxious nerd."

"She just looks lonely," Anna murmured, still entranced by those eyes.

"Seriously Anna you are just too adorable. You see the good in everyone," one commented, and the lack of sincerity was clear. The girls in Anna's group chuckled between themselves.

Anna pulled on her backpack straps in discomfort. They were humouring her and she knew it. She hated how bitchy the girls at school were but what was the alternative? Not fitting in meant a very difficult school life awaited her ahead.

She glanced over at the blonde haired girl again sitting at a table alone across the room. She really did look so lonely.

Leaving the Arendelles and starting university had given Anna a new lease of life, it was true. Moving here was like taking a breath of fresh air. She finally felt free and perhaps even truly happy for the first time since losing her parents. And she had Kristoff to thank for that. He was the one who found her wondering lost around campus unable to decipher a simple map. With a stroke of good fortune Kristoff was on the same course and since that fateful day during freshers they'd been almost inseparable.

Anna took a large swig of her cider.

"So you're telling me your guardians are sending you off across the country, in the middle of classes to pick up their daughter who was your best friend as a kid," Kristoff said with a frown. It was at that moment Anna realised just how ridiculous the whole thing was.

"Yes." She took another long drink.

"And this girl... You haven't mentioned her before," concern laced his voice.

"No I haven't," Anna sighed so deeply she wished she could sink back and be enveloped by the chair.

"After she walked out on us all no one talked about her. It's... hard. Her parents dealt with it in their way and I did mine... Which involved a whole lot of not talking, which as I'm sure you're aware isn't my strongest suit. And I had a lot going on in my head too dealing with the loss of my own parents," Anna paused to drink again. The alcohol wasn't working quickly enough.

"Wow, Anna." Kristoff's hand found hers on the table. The touch was sincere and Anna couldn't help but smile.

"I moved in with them after my parents died in the accident. My guardians, Elsa's parents, they are nice people but gods they are strict and proper and well, everything that I am not. After living with them I could see why Elsa wanted out. I thought when we were together that things would be easier. I thought I could help her through her family problems and I selfishly hoped she'd..." But Anna paused unsure of what she was expecting back from Elsa. "...I just thought we'd pull through together. But we didn't. She walked out." Anna let out a sigh.

Talking was usually the thing Anna did best. If there was an award for stringing together as many sentences as possible she'd win it hands down. But talking about her parents, Elsa and the Arendelles made her mouth too dry. Even with the cider the words were hard to find.

"And you really haven't heard from this Elsa girl for 4 years?" Kristoff asked. Anna shook her head and clutched her drink.

"...I'm afraid." And it hurt her to admit it. "She left me behind Kristoff. I should have gone with her."

"Did she ask you to?" He leaned forward curiously.

Anna caught his pale blue eyes, full of pity, and shook her head sadly.

"So you never had the choice. You have two weeks until the end of this semester. I really think if you don't go you'll regret it. Screw her parents for a minute - or don't if you like them - my point is don't think about them. If you want to see your friend again just do it."

His words cleared the mist that had settled over her mind. Kristoff was right. If Anna was to go on this mad adventure to find Elsa she'd need to do it for herself. It dawned on her then that she wanted answers too. She needed answers.

"Thanks Kristoff." Anna gave him her biggest and most genuine smile.

"Anytime Feisty-pants," he waved her off with an equally as big grin. "Just make sure you send me a postcard."