a.n. Whew, coming in at close to 12 pages and 7,506 words, this chapter's a whopper! I did a couple of different things with this chapter that I hope you all like. I did get one review that was concerned with how the last chapter ended and, while this was pretty much how I had planned on this story/chapter progressing, I do hope it makes up for any concerns anyone had in the last one. As I've stated in my profile, I'm a sucker for happy endings. I only hope what I've written here is believable and makes sense to all of you (it does to me, at least).

Anyways, please remember to read, review, and enjoy!

Chapter 14: Love Will Thaw

Kristoff charged up the stairs, treading a well-worn path, as he made his way to the upper recesses of the palace. The higher he climbed, the more he noticed how quiet it had become. The noise he had heard from outside had disappeared and that worried him more than the racket itself had. He had expected yelling, some angry outbursts, or even the sound of tears being shed, at the very least. But silence, utter and complete silence? That was not a good sign. Silence and Elsa never mixed well.

He wasn't at all surprised when he found himself outside a familiar room, though by the time he reached it, he could hear his heart pounding in his ears and his breath quickened as he hesitated by the doors. He approached cautiously, listening for any sign of life in the room within. He could hear the last remnants of the storm die down but no voices sang out in surprise or anger or sadness. He hoped with everything he had that he wasn't too late as he reached out to open the doors.

But they wouldn't budge. Shocked, Kristoff pulled and tugged and shook the doors but they still refused to move. Noticing how much colder the doors were than they should be, even considering their icy origins, he looked closer and saw that they had been frozen shut. His eyes grew wide in panic and he began pounding on the door.

"Elsa! Open up the doors! Please!" He could hear nothing except the echoes of his voice and the sounds of his fists hitting the door.

"Elsa! Elsa!"

It was dark.

It was quiet.

It was solitary.

It wasn't necessarily an unpleasant situation, just an unexpected one. It reminded her of her previous life, the one she lived before she rediscovered her sister. It was comforting. It was familiar.

It was cold.

Wait.

Cold? How could it be cold? The cold had never bothered her before and yet she shivered in the darkness now. She could feel the chill in her bones, deep within her. How was that possible?

Her senses were inexplicably dulled and she wasted no effort in trying to understand why. All she knew was the cold; all she really wanted to know was where that coldness was coming from and why it upset her so much.

She retreated back into the familiar embrace of the darkness, senses unaware of anything but the cold and the darkness.

It took some effort but Kristoff finally managed to break the icy seal holding the doors shut. His large size, when repeatedly slammed again and again against the unyielding frozen entity, had eventually allowed him entrance to the room, though he had worn himself down considerably in trying to do so. His fatigue was momentarily forgotten, however, as he practically fell into the room and looked around at his surroundings. The damage done by the magical snowstorm was obvious as portions of the room had visibly frozen over and various snowdrifts were scattered about the room. He noticed a few icicles hanging from the ceiling and there were even a conspicuous few jutting into the room from various angles. It all seemed to indicate that Elsa had lost control even for a little bit and that just increased his anxiety.

As he was taking it all in, his eyes were inevitably drawn to the two still figures in the room and he rushed over to them, eyes wide.

"No." He gasped as he looked at the frozen figure of Erik. His memories of finding Anna here, heart slowly freezing and turning her into ice, and of seeing the end of her terrible transformation, flashed across his mind as looked at Erik now. It was obvious that he had been struck, just as Anna had been, but unlike her, Erik seemed to have completely frozen immediately. It had taken several hours for Anna to freeze like this; he had assumed that that was just the way Elsa's powers had worked. Now, he wasn't so sure. Perhaps she was stronger now than she had been then. He had certainly seen her do some amazing things with her powers, things that he didn't think she even knew she was capable of. Since she had been able to gain control over her powers, she wasn't afraid of letting them show, of showing others what she could do. Being able to actually use her powers without fear seemed to have allowed both her and her powers to grow stronger. No longer restrained, her powers had proven to have wonderful, mysterious qualities as they were given the chance to flow, to grow, to create. Maybe that newfound strength had done this.

Or, as much as he didn't want to think about, perhaps there was something deeper, something more unconscious, that had caused her to freeze her estranged father like she had. He had a feeling that there was something more to her actions that perhaps even she was unaware of. The only way to find out would be to ask her himself.

Turning towards his soon-to-be-sister-in-law, he noticed her catatonic state. Her stance was rigid, her eyes unfocused, as she hugged her arms against her body, facing away from her father. Kristoff approached her slowly, not wanting to startle her, and he called out to her.

"Elsa? Elsa, it's Kristoff. Can you hear me?" When he got no response, he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Again, no response. "Please Elsa, let me get through to you. Just let me in."

It was still cold.

It was still dark.

It was still solitary.

But it was no longer quiet. A dull sound bounced against the gloomy cocoon she was nestled in and she blinked blearily as she became vaguely aware of it. Deciding to ignore it, she turned back into the darkness, contemplating the cold once more.

Yet the din continued on, growing more insistent and echoing in this dark place. Her solitude interrupted, she leaned in the direction the sound was coming from and urged her senses to make meaning of the sound.

Her ears were the first to discover the interruption. It was a voice, a deep, pleading voice that whispered words she could not yet make sense of.

Her eyes focused next as they noticed a slight sliver of light coming from the direction where that voice was located. The dark overpowered it for the moment but the light was slowly creeping in, steadily growing stronger.

The next three things she noticed came in quick succession, nearly simultaneously. She smelled the crisp, icy scent of snow just as she became aware of a slight breeze wafting around her and she could practically taste the pure, clean air that seemed to be encompassing her.

As she was still trying to reconcile all of these new feelings and sensations and make sense of it all, her ears were finally able to decipher the voice that echoed around her and she focused on its gentle timbre.

"Please Elsa, let me get through to you. Just let me in."

He didn't know how long he had been standing there or how long he had been pleading with her to awaken from whatever trance she seemed to be in, but he finally noticed the first signs of life as she shuddered and took a deep breath. He quickly wrapped his arms around her as she collapsed into them. Lowering the both of them to the ground, he held her in his arms, reminded of the times he had cradled his fiancée just like this when she had come to him in the middle of the night, her mind plagued by nightmares. On those nights, he would just hold her tightly to him, rocking her back and forth to soothe her worries. Sometimes, he would stroke her auburn tresses or whisper words of devotion and love to calm her before carrying her back to her room and placing her on the bed to tuck her in. Knowing how similar the two women were, his only thought was to cradle her, rocking her back and forth, hoping that she would be all right.

It was only a matter of seconds before he watched Elsa's eyes flutter open. The normally bright blue orbs were clouded and her pale face was e ven paler. Her platinum blonde bangs stuck to her forehead in a sheen of sweat and he could feel her tremble in his arms as she slowly came to. As she awoke, Kristoff smiled concernedly at her.

"I'm glad you're okay."

"Kristoff?" She looked around in confusion. "Wh..what happened?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. I was waiting outside and I heard some awful noises coming from here. I was worried and when I came up here, you had frozen the door shut. When I finally managed to get it open, I noticed you just standing here. You were so quiet and you just stood here, not moving. It was like you weren't even here." He let her climb out of his arms and he scooted away from her, giving her the space he felt she wanted. She held a hand up to her head for a moment before the memories came flooding back to her. There was a sudden gasp as she remembered what had brought her up to this room and what had transpired afterwards.

"My powers…Papa!" At first, she didn't notice the still, cold figure of her father as she glanced around. She surveyed the destruction she had caused and she couldn't help but feel a sense of remorse as she did so. She had, yet again, turned her wonderful creation into a place of fear. Would it ever be the beautiful palace she had envisioned long ago?

When her eyes finally spotted her father, she jumped up and ran to him, Kristoff close on her heels.

"Papa!" She stopped short in front of him, not quite trusting herself not to cause any more harm than she already had. In any other circumstance, she would marvel at the intricate details and lifelike intricacies of another one of her creations. She would be in awe, once again, of how she could create such a beautiful thing with powers that she always feared, powers that she had never seen as anything but dangerous and destructive. And she would be reminded that there was indeed beauty in her powers; she only had to find it within herself.

Now, looking upon the icy countenance of the man who was her father, his face frozen in a look of regret, no hint of fear or hate in his eyes, she trembled at the terrible things she was capable of, at the cruelties she had managed to inflict upon others. She nearly crumpled, ready to close in on herself before Kristoff reached her side and lifted her face towards his.

"Elsa," he stated plainly, his face serious, "this is not your fault. You were hurting, in pain, and you couldn't control what happened. Don't beat yourself up over this. I know how much you still hurt about what happened with Anna even though she forgives you. And I don't think your father would want you to blame yourself for this either." She sniffed.

"I…I don't know, Kristoff." Her teary eyes looked up at him before she glanced over to her father. "I did this to him. He's frozen like this because of me. I don't know if that could ever be forgivable."

"Of course it is. Anna never lost faith in you. She knew that you would never, could never, hurt her on purpose. I know your father feels the same. No matter what bad memories you have, what pain there is in your past, what tension you two have, you would never hurt him on purpose. You would never hurt anyone. You are not a monster, Elsa. You know it. I know it. He knows it. He will forgive you forgive for this. You have to believe that."

Elsa slowly nodded her head, letting Kristoff's words sink in. She didn't know if she entirely believed him yet; that would have to wait until she got a chance to speak with her father again.

Kristoff spoke up again.

"I think it's about time we get back. I know there is plenty more for you two to talk over but the worst is over right? You do feel better, don't you?" Elsa nodded hesitantly so Kristoff laid a hand on her shoulder. "Everything will be fine Elsa. You'll see." He smiled encouragingly. "Are you ready?" Elsa looked at her father straight in the eyes and held back the tears that threatened to fall as she took that last step towards him. Tenderly, she wrapped her arms around him, placing her cheek on his chest with her head resting just below his chin. It was a familiar embrace, though one she hadn't felt in so long. She squeezed him tightly to her, willing all of the love she had for the man before her to come forth and break him out of his icy prison. She repeated her mantra over and over again in her head as she waited for his cold skin to become warm flesh once again. Love will thaw. Love will thaw. Love will thaw…

But something was wrong.

It wasn't working the way it should have been.

With Anna, it had been nearly instantaneous. As soon as she had realized what had happened to her sister, she had been able to summon all of her love and all of the devotion she felt towards her and allowed it to wash over her in such loving warmth that Anna's icy heart had been thawed. It wasn't hard; those warm feelings were always bubbling just beneath her icy, aloof exterior, waiting for the chance to be set free. When she finally got that opportunity, nothing could stop them from flowing so effortlessly from her. It had been a wonderful feeling and she felt as if she was finally proving her love to her sister, a love she had so long denied her.

Now, however, she could feel something wasn't the same. She was trying to shower her father with all of the love she harbored for him, all of the love that was buried inside of her, but she found that she couldn't. That warm feelings she had had when she had thawed her sister wasn't there. She could only feel the cold.

Kristoff watched Elsa curiously, expecting things to happen just as they had done with Anna. When more than a few moments had passed and Elsa still stood there, hugging an icy statue, he stepped up to her, a look of concern on his face.

"Elsa? Is something wrong?" He was surprised to see her eyes closed tightly, trying to hold in the tears he knew she must be shedding. The agony on her face was evident.

"It's not working, Kristoff! It's not working and I don't know why!" She finally opened her eyes and Kristoff could see the pain in them as her tears were finally released. "I tried! I did what I did last time and it didn't work! Why didn't it work?" She sobbed, nearly hysterical.

"Elsa, calm down. Please." He noticed that her sobs had lessened and he continued. "What happened? Why don't you think it worked?" He watched as Elsa took a few deep breaths to calm herself some more before she attempted to speak.

"I…I don't know. With Anna, it was easy to show my love for her. It just came out and allowed me to thaw her. The same for Arendelle. I just remembered my people and how much I care for them and I was able to thaw all of the ice and snow and end the winter. That love was always there; I just had to set it free, let it go. I tried to do that now, to let all of that love come forth…but it wouldn't. I couldn't feel what I felt before. I couldn't feel the love…just the cold." She turned her eyes downwards and placed a hand over her heart, her fists clenched in pain.

"Cold?" She nodded. "I thought you didn't feel the cold?" She shook her head.

"No. I can feel it; it just doesn't bother me like it does everyone else. But this cold…this cold is different. It's something that I've never felt before. I could feel it in here." She gestured to her heart.

Kristoff looked at her in concern and confusion, not quite sure what to think. "What do you think it means?"

Elsa visibly trembled, not sure if she wanted to voice aloud the conclusion she had come to. She turned her tear-stained face to Kristoff, her eyes fearful. "I think it means I won't ever be able to thaw him because I…I don't think I'll ever be able forgive him for what he did. And if I can't ever forgive him, I don't think I…I don't think I'll ever to be able find the love for him in my heart that I need. I don't think that love is there." She paused briefly before continuing. "I don't think I love him anymore."

"What do you mean you don't think that you love him anymore?"

"I can't stop thinking about all those years when I was alone and my powers were growing too strong for me to control. I know he always told me that he loved me, that I was no monster, but I could see it in his eyes. He feared me; he feared what I could do. He couldn't love me, not after almost killing my sister." Kristoff grabbed her shoulders fiercely, hoping to pull Elsa out of her melancholy.

"Elsa. Stop. He is your father. He loves you, no matter what. You know that."

"I'd like to believe that Kristoff, I really would. But I just can't help it. I can't force what isn't there."

"But you've got to try, Elsa! You can't leave him like this!"

"I know that! Do you think I want him like this! I can try and try all I want, but it won't happen!" The room grew colder and Kristoff noticed the look in Elsa's eyes that told him she was barely reigning in her powers, that she was on the edge of losing control. He wisely decided to back down, hoping she would calm a little.

"I'm not going to push you Elsa, but I do want you to try. You know he loved you. Even if you think he didn't, he had to have loved you at least once in your life. Think about that. Do you have any memories, any memories at all, of that?" Elsa closed her eyes in concentration. Her memories of the distant past were shadowed by those of the painful events that had followed afterwards, memories that were still fresh and vivid in her mind's eye, especially when she slept. When her eyes finally opened, there was a light in them as something stirred within her mind.

"I do remember something that happened long ago…"

"Well?" Kristoff noticed the chill that had descended had abated and took that as a good sign.

"I was young, really young, and I think Momma was pregnant with Anna…"

She was about two-and-a-half, just a little toddler with stubby legs and pudgy cheeks, but she still acted like the princess she was. She got underfoot a lot, yet no one on the palace staff seemed to mind all that much (most of the time), as she spent her days dashing to and fro, trying to find the next fun activity. Usually, at least one of her parents was with her to keep her company and out of too much trouble but nowadays, Papa was too busy and Momma was always tired. Her rounded belly prevented her from doing too much anyway. So she was left to her own devices and with no supervision. Always a bad combination.

Today she seemed to be extra curious and she was in the way more than usual. Since no one had the heart to bother the queen in her delicate condition, King Erik was tasked with dealing with his precocious young daughter.

Elsa was called into her father's study and was left to stand in front of his large desk as he looked across the way at her. No stranger to this kind of confrontation, the young princess put on her best smile and her most cherubic face, sure that she would be able to win her father over with her charms as she often did.

Erik tried not to be swayed. "Do you know why you are here, Elsa?" The girl didn't answer and instead chose to continue smiling sweetly at him. "Elsa?"

"Yes, Papa?"

"Do you know why you have been brought to me now?"

"No, Papa."

"You don't, do you?" A nod of her little head and finally Erik gave in to his daughter's face, though not as much as he wanted to. He let go a small smile as he rounded his desk and came to stand in front of the little girl. "The cooks told me you've been sneaking around in the kitchens again, hunting for chocolates. And Gerda said she's caught you more than a few times skating through the halls. In your socks and on the ice. And what was it that you did to the nanny?" Erik's voice was serious, though his smile betrayed his true feelings.

"I froze her underwear." At her confession, Erik finally broke down and chuckled, pulling the girl in for a hug.

"Oh Elsa. What have I told you about doing things like that?" Elsa's cheerful face saddened and Erik felt bad. She was only a little girl after all. A special little girl, perhaps, but still only a little girl. He should probably handle this with a bit more tact. "I know you didn't mean any harm and no one was seriously injured, though I think we are going to have to get you a new nanny…"

"But I don't need a nanny, Papa. I have you and Momma." Erik sighed. This talk had taken a familiar turn.

"Elsa, look at me." He smiled at her wide eyes. "I know you miss spending time with me and Momma; we miss spending time with you too. But you know we're both very busy right now. I have a lot of paperwork that I need to get through," he gestured to the substantial pile of documents on his desk, "and your mother is busy getting things ready for the new baby. She also needs to get plenty of rest to build up her energy for when the baby arrives. In a few months' time, you'll have a new playmate that you can chase around the castle and Momma and I will be able to spend more time with you. Until then, please mind the nanny and try to stay out of trouble, okay?" A hesitant nod told Erik that there was something more on the little girl's mind. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"What if you won't have any time to play with me when the baby comes? What if you decide you don't love me anymore?" Erik could see Elsa's hands turning white, a sure sign that she was getting upset. Her mysterious abilities, wherever they came from, seemed to be tied to her emotional state, as he and her mother had discovered early on. He didn't want to upset the child any more than it seemed she already was.

"Is that what you think, sweetheart? Do you really think that once the baby's here, we won't have time for you?" A fervent nod. "That's ridiculous!" Erik pulled his daughter into a hug and was relieved to feel her little arms wrap themselves around his neck. "No matter what happens when the new baby gets here, we will always love you. You are very special and nothing and no one could ever replace you. You are my beautiful little snowflake, unique and individual, unlike anyone else. How could I not love you?" His smile brightened. "Your mother and I will always love you, no matter what. Okay?" This time, her nod was surer and he pulled himself away to grasp her hand. "Now, let's go find something to do that won't get you into trouble." Together, they walked hand-in-hand out of his office, their happy voices echoing down the hall.

"I had almost forgotten that day. After we left his office, he took me to the kitchens and while he distracted the cooks, I was able to sneak some chocolates out for us. We hid in the study and ate them until we could barely move. I remember Momma found us, chocolate smudges around our mouths, guilty but satisfied smiles on both of our faces." She smiled at the newfound memory. "I thought she was mad but she only looked at us seriously for a moment before asking why we didn't save any for her. I think the chocolate obsession runs in the family." The wistful smile on her face was noticed by Kristoff.

"See? He does love you, you just forgot that." She looked at him exasperatedly.

"One memory from nearly twenty years ago doesn't mean anything, Kristoff. I was so young back then, so innocent. My powers were weak and I had a little over them. Once they developed, I became dangerous. He couldn't have loved me then."

"I refuse to believe that Elsa. There's got to be more there, something you're not remembering. Think." Elsa sighed as she decided to humor the ice harvester. A new memory came forth.

"Not long after Anna's accident…"

An eight-year-old Elsa sat alone in her room, staring out the window. Since night had fallen, there wasn't much to see but she enjoyed the feeling of just looking out at the stars and the sleepy town below her. It was a time of quiet reflection, a time when she could just be alone with her thoughts.

Muffled sounds from the hallway outside her bedroom drew her away from the window and she crept cautiously to the door, her curiosity peaked.

"But Momma, why can't I say good night to Elsa?" That was Anna talking and upon hearing the sadness in her little sister's voice, Elsa's heart broke. She desperately wanted to go out there, grab the child, and hug her tight, but as she looked down at her hands and felt them start to grow cold, she remembered why she couldn't. Anna would be much safer if she just stayed right here.

"Now Anna, I've already told you that your sister doesn't want any company right now. She's…not quite herself and we need to give her some space."

"I just wanted to ask her if she wants to build a snowman." Elsa gasped at the familiar words, not sure if Anna truly knew what she was saying or if she was just speaking out of habit, drawing from some recently forgotten memory. Judging by the sudden silence, their mother seemed to be taken aback as well.

"What? How could you build a snowman? It's the middle of summer." Elsa could just imagine her mother's shocked and confused face.

"I don't know. It just sounded like something fun to do." Being so young, Anna's question could be written off as a mere child's fantasy, something she would likely forget in the morning. But to Elsa, those words struck a chord within her and she could feel the tears begin to fall. She let out a silent sob as she focused on the pair outside her door.

"Oh Anna, I think you've stayed up late enough already. Come on, let's get you to bed."

"But Momma…"

"No 'buts', young lady. It's time to tuck you in." Elsa heard two sets of footsteps retreating and then a door quietly closing. She knew they had to have gone into Anna's bedroom, previously their shared room, and that after a story or two, the youngest princess would be fast asleep. She couldn't bring herself to move from her spot by the door, even when she heard the door open again and her mother's soft footsteps walk out. Those same footsteps paused by the door and Elsa worried that her mother would open the door and find her like this.

Before she could scramble to her bed, her mother's gentle voice called to her.

"Good night, little snowflake. Sweet dreams." Not expecting a response, she walked back down the hallway, likely on her way to her own slumber.

Not sure if or how her mother knew she was there, Elsa continued to sit by the door, waiting for some time to pass. When she was positive that most of the castle was asleep, she quietly opened her door and looked both directions. Making sure that she was in the clear, she crept silently down the hall, pausing in front of her sister's door. Tears threatened to fall again and she steadied herself as she opened the door and walked in.

This room seemed so much bigger now that she had moved out and Anna looked lonely sleeping in such a big place alone. Elsa tiptoed to the bed, not wanting to wake her sister for fear of discovery. As long as Anna never knew she was here, everything would be okay. She just had to look in on the younger girl.

The littlest princess was fast asleep in the middle of her bed, the moonlight streaming in from the window casting an ethereal glow about her and Elsa was hard-pressed not to give herself up if only to throw her arms around her sister and wish her good night. But she knew she had to hold herself back; she wouldn't be able to bear it if she hurt her again.

She remained standing at her sister's bedside for a long while, just watching her sleep. She didn't know how long she had been standing there but when she grew tired, she planted herself on the floor next to the bed and it wasn't long before her eyes closed as sleep claimed her.

It could have been minutes or hours later when she awoke as she felt herself being lifted up. She turned sleepy eyes upward and saw her father's tired face as he gently carried her out the door and back to her own room. Once he had placed her onto her bed and pulled the covers over her, he started to walk out when her voice stopped him.

"Papa?" He turned and looked at the still half-asleep girl.

"Yes Elsa?"

"Do you…do you and Momma still love me after what I did? I mean, I know Anna does since she's only a little girl and she can't remember what happened, but do you?" Erik walked back over to her bedside and crouched down beside it so he was eye-level with her.

"Sweetheart, I told you years ago that your mother and I would always love you, no matter what. That's still true, even now. I know you're scared and I know you're afraid of hurting someone again, especially Anna, but we'll be right here for you. We'll help you control it so you don't have to be afraid anymore. We love you, always have and always will. You are our little snowflake; nothing you could do will ever change that or the way we feel about you. Okay?" Elsa nodded and began to drift back to sleep, but not before feeling her father place a loving kiss on her cheek before he quietly walked out and shut the door behind him.

"I can just barely remember the feel of that kiss and the soothing sound of my father's voice as he talked to me; that memory has been so clouded by the events that had preceded it, I guess I just always thought my mind was playing tricks on me."

"You see, Elsa. You can deny it all you want, but your father did love you once upon a time and I'm willing to bet that he still does now. You just don't really want to see it."

"Fine. He did love me, even after Anna's accident. But that was back when he thought he could help me control my powers. We tried for weeks to find something that would help me control them, but nothing worked. I think he finally just gave up and he decided it would be best if I just learned to conceal it. That's when he gave me my first pair of gloves."

"Doesn't that tell you that he loved you? He tried to help you."

"He did try to help me, but when he couldn't, he tried to hide away that part of me. As a young girl, I did what he said because I thought he was right, that he knew what was best for me and for everyone. But it just got to be too much…"

"I'm scared. It's getting stronger." At twelve, Elsa's powers had grown considerably stronger and the little control she had managed to have when she was younger seemed to have vanished. Now she could barely go a day without random blasts of ice slipping through her fingers. Today seemed to be the worst day yet as she had accidentally frozen part of her door and the wall nearby. Her parents were there with her, attempting to help her.

"Getting upset only makes it worse. Calm down." Her father's words, while they sounded helpful, did little to soothe her. She could only stare at her white-gloved fingers as she contemplated the power within them and how much destruction they could cause. She was too worked up and rattled to heed her father's words and she only grew more anxious when he stepped towards her, ostensibly to take her hands in his and squeeze them for comfort, something that had always seemed to help her when she was younger. Too scared of what might happen, she took a step back, pulling her hands closer to her.

"No! Don't touch me! Please. I don't want to hurt you." She watched as her mother took a step closer to her father to place a loving hand on his back and the two of them looked at her, sadness and concern clearly shown on both of their faces.

"But Elsa…" Erik stepped forward again and was disappointed as Elsa retreated once again, closer to the wall.

"Just stay there. Please. There's no telling what I might do." This time, her parents remained where they were and watched as she looked fearfully at her hands. "I can't have you near me, not anymore. I don't know what could happen."

"Elsa, we know you could never hurt us, no matter how strong your powers are getting. And we love you enough to be willing to try to help you."

"I can't let you do that. I don't want anything to happen to you, not like what happened to Anna. I nearly lost my sister because of my powers. I practically have lost her now; I can't lose you too." Her parents watched as tears started to roll down her cheeks, wanting to reach out to her to comfort her but knowing that any move on their part would cause her to retreat even more. Finally, they gave in and made their way to leave.

"If that's what you want, sweetheart. But please remember: we love you, just as we always have. Even if you don't think you can be near us, we'll always be willing to take that chance because we love you and want to help you. If you ever decide you want that help, we'll be here. All you have to do is let us in." Elsa didn't move and Erik wondered if his words even got through to her. He could only hope that they had. They opened the door and with one last sad look at their distraught daughter, they left, their hearts breaking as they walked off.

Elsa refused to come out of her room for the rest of the day and long after night fell, Erik decided to check up on her. Knocking gently on her door, he wasn't surprised when he didn't receive an answer.

"Elsa? Are you awake? Are you all right?" Again, he received no response. Concerned, he opened the door quietly and peered into the inky darkness. He saw Elsa asleep in her bed, curled in on herself as if in pain. Seeing his daughter like this hurt him greatly but he didn't know what else he could do, what else he could say, that would help her. Sighing in defeat, he cautiously approached the bed. If Elsa knew he was there, she would panic; he couldn't have that right now. Looking closely at her, he spotted the tell-tale tracks of dried tears on her cheeks. She had probably cried herself to sleep, an action that seemed to be commonplace now. He wished he could take her pain away; no child should have to go through what she was.

Reaching down, he gently brushed her platinum hair away from her eyes and caressed her cheek. She shifted a little and he stilled, hoping he wouldn't get caught. When she settled back down, he couldn't help but stare at her sadly.

"Oh Elsa," he whispered, "I wish you would let us help you. We love you and when you hurt, we hurt. I know you're scared and I know that you wish feel like you have to shut yourself off from everyone you love in order to protect us. I only wish that I could convince you that we're right here with you, right here for you. We don't need you to protect us; we're your parents. We're the ones who are supposed to be protecting you." He let out a soft breath, his frustration leaving him as he looked upon her pale face. "I hope one day you'll finally realize that we love you, no matter what happens, no matter what you do. With powers or without, we could never love you any less. That's simply not possible. We love you too much for that to happen." He leaned down and kissed her softly on her forehead. "I love you, my little snowflake. I hope you still know that."

He tiptoed quietly back out of the room and shut the door, unaware that fresh tears had begun to fall from a pair of icy blue eyes as she watched her father leave.

"I love you too, Papa."

"I almost thought I had dreamed that kiss." Elsa's eyes were watery as she reached up a hand to her forehead. She turned her eyes to her father. "Oh, Papa…"

"Elsa," Kristoff reached out to her. "Your father loves you. You may have forgotten it for awhile but that feeling has always been there."

"You're right." Elsa's voice was shaky. "I keep remembering all of the bad things that happened between us but none of the good. He never saw me as a monster. He loved me. He truly loved me. And I know I loved him. But," she turned to look back at Kristoff, "the question is do I love him now? Can I find it in my heart to forgive him and find that love again?"

"Well, what do you feel in your heart?"

Elsa closed her eyes and looked inwards, trying to find the warmth that she knew should be there. To her surprise, the coldness she had felt had all but vanished as the loving memories of her past resurfaced. She opened shocked eyes to Kristoff.

"I…I think I can feel it, Kristoff. I think I can finally forgive him." She looked back at her father. "These memories that I've rediscovered have shown me that whatever illusions I had about how much he truly cared for me have been wrong all of these years. Yes, we did have our issues but I think it was my own fear and insecurities that caused me to forget all of the good times. He tried his best, they both did, and I only pushed them away because I was scared of what might happen. They knew that I would never purposely hurt them. They weren't scared of me; I was scared of myself and what I could do to them. I let my own feelings overshadow what they truly felt for me. I don't have to forgive them; I have to forgive myself."

Feeling more confident, Elsa approached her father again. Letting the warmth of the new realizations flow through her, she embraced him, just as she had when she was a child. Her cheek rested gently on his chest and she closed her eyes in concentration. A new memory suddenly came to mind as she was warmed from the inside out.

"Do you have to go?" Elsa looked at her parents with worried eyes, pleading with them not to leave. At eighteen, her parents had decided that she was both responsible and prepared enough to rule the kingdom in their stead while they went on a short trip. It would be the first time she alone would be making decisions on behalf of their people. She was nervous about what could happen in their absence; she really didn't trust herself to be left alone with such an enormous responsibility on her shoulders.

Her father only smiled encouragingly at her. "You'll be fine, Elsa." Beside him, her mother gave her a gentle smile, her face just as trusting. "We wouldn't be leaving you alone if we didn't think you'd do an exemplary job. You've proven yourself willing and capable in all of your studies and I've taught you as much as I could. There's not much more I can do to prepare you for this."

"I'm just…scared." Erik and Anya's faces softened at their daughter's gentle admission. She hadn't yet quite learned how to control her powers, though she was getting better at it. They knew that her fear would likely make her even more nervous about standing in their place, but her worries were all for naught. They trusted her to do this and she needed to see that.

"Elsa, we know what you're worried about and I assure you that you'll be fine. You will make a wonderful queen someday if you can only learn to trust yourself. You worry too much about what may happen; just relax and let your instincts take over. You can trust them. You've been preparing for this your entire life. You can do it. Besides, it will only be for two weeks. You may find that you've been enjoying yourself so much, you won't want us to return." He smiled cheekily at her and was pleased to see an amused glint in her eyes. "I expect to hear only good things when we return, okay?" She nodded her head. Erik reached out to pat her on the shoulder, the only form of contact she ever allowed them anymore, and she visibly flinched before she let that tender gesture calm her.

As they turned and walked out the door, he turned his head around one last time to shout back at her.

"Never forget, we love you and we always will." As he turned around and the doors started to shut, Erik smiled as he heard Elsa's voice behind them.

"I love you too, Papa. Always."

As she hugged her father, that last memory played itself out in front of her eyes and she felt the warmth surge through her. The dam had finally burst and all of the pent-up love she had harbored towards her parents, feelings she was sure had long since vanished, came rushing forth, stronger than she had ever suspected. She let the love flow through her and into the frozen statue she was embracing. Her memories of doing this with Anna not so long ago gave her the strength to hold on and let the warmth settle in. A few loose tears escaped but she ignored them. She let her eyes close as she focused on love, willing the ice to thaw.

Finally using up all of her strength, she found that she couldn't hold herself up anymore and started to collapse in exhaustion.

A pair of arms quickly encircled her waist to hold her up. But it wasn't the muscular pair that she associated with Kristoff, which she had expected. Instead, she found herself held upright by soft, strong arms that were strangely familiar and sorely missed. Willing herself to look up, her teary eyes widened in shock.

"Papa?" His warm brown eyes looked at her lovingly, his grin wide.

"My little snowflake."