a.n. Well, here is the final chapter of Frozen Ever After. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. There will be one more update, an Epilogue, posted in about two weeks so all of you dear readers can look forward to that. This chapter is pretty substantial and I hope it has the resolution all of you were waiting for. Please read, review, and enjoy! I certainly look forward to reading your thoughts/comments!
Chapter 15: Little Snowflake Lost…And Found
Kristoff stepped back as he watched Elsa grasp the frozen figure of her father. From what he could see from his position, Elsa seemed more relaxed, more centered, as she embraced her father this time. Her recovered memories seemed to have done the trick as she was finally able to recall all the good times she had had with her father. He knew that there still had to be love there somewhere, buried beneath all of the hurt and sadness. From the little time he had spent with Erik, he had come to realize that there was nothing the man wouldn't do for his family. His love for his wife and daughters knew no bounds and despite what Elsa remembered, Kristoff knew that there had to be more to his actions in the past than what her own memories recollected. Hopefully, the two of them would get that chance to reconcile and talk. They needed that. For now, he could only stand there and watch as Elsa finally summoned all of those long-dormant emotions she had nearly forgotten to thaw her father and bring him back to her. He really hoped that it would work this time. It just had to.
Soon he was rewarded with a warm glow coming from Elsa's direction. He watched amazed as the ice began to thaw slowly, gradually releasing the person inside. Like what had happened with Anna, the warmth started from his heart and moved outward until every last finger, toe, and hair was released from its icy prison. In awe at what he was witnessing, Kristoff didn't notice as Elsa started to fall, her strength finally giving out as exhaustion set it. He scrambled to catch her before she could hit the floor but stopped abruptly as someone else beat him to it. Erik's arms, no longer the frozen things they had been only moments ago, had encircled Elsa's tiny waist to stop her descent. He could tell that Elsa was confused, perhaps even startled, at the action and he wisely decided not to intrude on this tender moment, knowing that they needed some uninterrupted time alone. Stepping back so he was just inside the doorway, he watched, trying not to be too obtrusive but available should either of them need him.
Erik smiled down at his daughter as he held her in his arms. He had sorely missed this feeling; being able to hold his daughter again, or even to touch her with no hesitation or fear in her eyes, was a dream come true. He always regretted not trying harder to show Elsa she had nothing to fear from them when she had pushed them away all of those years ago. He couldn't imagine anything better than what he was feeling now. He wanted to savor it as long as he could, not quite sure if it was only a momentary lapse in her usually cooler demeanor due to overwhelming emotion or a true, unfettered response. Either way, it didn't really matter; he just wanted to hold on to her and never let her go.
When she looked up at him, her eyes wide and wet with tears, he rejoiced that he could once again see that little girl that had loved him with her whole heart, the little girl that he had never stopped loving, in spite of whatever hard times had come between them.
"Papa?" Her voice, wavering with emotion, was sweet in his ears and he could do nothing but look at her warmly, showing her all of the love that he harbored for her, love that had never left, no matter what had come between them over the years.
"My little snowflake." His special name for her. It had been a long time since he had called her that and though she was much older, likely too old for such whimsically childish things, it still seemed appropriate somehow. No matter what happened, she would always be his little girl. His sweet Elsa. His little snowflake. Now, more than ever, he wanted to remind her of that fact.
It was only moments later when Elsa finally pulled away. Erik was reluctant to let her; who knew if he would ever be able to hold her like this again. Yet, knowing how flighty his daughter was, he didn't want to push her too much in fear of pushing her away for good again. He still refused to lose contact, however, so he moved his hands up to place them on her shoulders. He was glad that she didn't shrug them off as she would have done not long ago. Perhaps this would all work out. As he looked at her pale face and tear-stained eyes, he felt the need to say something. "Thank you, Elsa."
She seemed surprised at his words. "'Thank you'? Why? I froze you and I didn't know if I would be able to unfreeze you. I was afraid that you would be stuck like that forever and it would all be my fault. I thought I kil…I thought you would never be able to come back. I tried to do what I did with Anna, but it wasn't working. I couldn't…I couldn't find it in my heart to forgive you because I couldn't…love you. I didn't think you had ever loved me." Erik could feel her trembling beneath his hands and he quickly pulled her back to him and hugged her tightly. He had known that it would be hard for her to forgive him after everything that had transpired and he was glad that she could find it inside of her to do so. It had to have been hard for her and he was relieved that despite everything, she hadn't completely forgotten her love for him or his for her. He knew that while they were on the right track to finding their way back to each other, they still had plenty more to talk about and a lot of issues that still needed to be worked through. He took solace in the fact that she seemed willing to hear him out as they worked through their problems to resolve their dysfunction. That, at least, was a very good start.
Father and daughter remained in that tender moment for a few moments and Erik was almost disappointed when she pulled away from him again. She still had tears in her eyes and her smile was guarded but Erik thought it was still one of the most beautiful sights he'd ever seen. He grinned tenderly back at her and reached up to cup her face. He could see the fear-like hesitation in her eyes and he paused briefly as he waited for some sign from her that told him it would be all right. Her smile got brighter and, smiling back, he brought his right hand up to brush her bangs aside while his left thumb helped to dry her tears. He felt near tears himself as he watched her lean her head into his hand, seeking comfort from his gesture. "Don't cry, little snowflake. Everything's fine. I'm here. You brought me back. You saved me. Nothing else matters but that. We have a lot to talk about, but for now, I think we're in a better place, aren't we?" At her nod, he continued. "Perhaps we should get out of here, hmmm?" We can talk on the way back to Arendelle." Elsa nodded again and Erik helped her to stand, wrapping one arm loosely around her tiny waist. He watched as Kristoff came over to offer his assistance, which he gratefully accepted. Both of them helped to steady Elsa as she still trembled lightly while she stood. Unconsciously, Elsa had tightened her grip on her father's arm, something that he noticed immediately. He smiled at her unknowing gesture. The fact that she felt she could rely on him for support, whether or not she knew what she was doing, spoke volumes as to how far they had come in repairing their fractured relationship.
Once everyone was steady and back on their feet, Erik spoke up so both of his companions could hear.
"Let's get back to Arendelle. I'm sure Anna and your mother have both been wondering where we are and why we haven't yet returned." They both nodded and started to make their way out of the room, Elsa's hand still clutching her father. When she suddenly stopped, Erik turned worried eyes towards her. "Elsa?" His question drew the attention of Kristoff and the mountain man turned around to face them, his eyes curious. "Is something wrong?"
The snow queen gently shook her head and looked around the room before returning her eyes to her father. "No. I just…can you give me a few minutes alone here? Please? I need to…just be alone for a little bit." Erik was hesitant to acquiesce to her request, knowing that Elsa tended to close in on herself and shut everyone else out when she was left by herself for too long. Yet there was something about the look in her eyes now that told him he had nothing to worry about. She seemed to have some newfound trust in him. It was time that he showed her that he felt the same for her. He smiled kindly at her.
"Sure, sweetheart." He dropped a kiss to her forehead and released his arm from around her waist as he gently pried the other one out of her grip. "We'll wait downstairs for you. Just come down whenever you're ready. We won't go anywhere. We won't leave you. Ever." Elsa nodded gratefully and watched as he walked over to Kristoff. With one last look, the two of them headed out the door.
Once she was alone, Elsa took her chance to survey the room. After everything that had happened here, first with Anna, then the attack upon her, and now with her father, this room had seen more than its fair share of sadness. It, like the rest of her palace, had been sullied by bad memories, memories that had prevented her from returning until now. She had longed for months to come back, but she didn't think she could face those painful memories again. Only the powerful emotions that had emerged with her parents' return could force her to come back. Now that she was here, she didn't really want to leave. She never knew when she would get the chance to come back, though if all went according to plan, her next visit might be sooner rather than later. The heavy feeling she had felt when she had arrived here yesterday seemed to have disappeared and she was suddenly feeling lighter, much lighter than she had ever felt before. It was like a breath of cool, fresh air and she was practically giddy with excitement at what that meant. This place could be beautiful again. It could be a haven, a home away from home, a place to make new, wonderful memories with her loved ones. With the reconciliation between her father and herself now possible and the painful memories of the past no longer haunting her, perhaps it was time that this place was restored to its splendid beauty and grandeur once again. With a smile on her face, Elsa let her powers free, crafting and creating. She had the perfect design in mind and couldn't wait until a special set of surprised eyes looked upon it for the first time.
It couldn't have been more than ten minutes later when Elsa finally let her hands drop, looking around her happily. Once the snow and wind had died down, she let a satisfied smile make its way onto her face as she scrutinized and critically eyed every detail in the room. Calmly, she purposefully made her way out. As the doors closed behind her, she spared one last glance back and grinned.
True to their word, Erik and Kristoff waited patiently at the bottom of the grand staircase for Elsa to make her appearance. While both of them felt considerably more at ease about the situation now than they had when they had first arrived barely two hours ago, they were still slightly curious about what Elsa could be doing alone up there. But they were both determined to not interfere as they got the impression that whatever it was she was doing, she needed to do it before she could return home. They tried to pass the time with small talk, but it was hard when they were both still worried about Elsa. They finally had to content themselves with silence as they waited. The two of them breathed sighs of relief when they noticed Elsa descend towards them. Her weariness was evident in her tired eyes and careful steps, but she still carried herself with all of the grace of a queen. She smiled at them to indicate that all was well and they couldn't help but to smile back.
When she finally reached them, they prepared themselves in case she needed their help but she waved off their concerns. "I'm fine. Everything's as it should be. In fact, it's even better. Are we ready to go?" Her cryptic words warranted question, but the two men wisely held their tongues as they made their way to the entrance. Kristoff was surprised when Elsa laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and he turned towards her with wide eyes.
"Wha…"
Her bright smile interrupted his train of thought and her eyes had a hint of amusement in them. "Don't worry Kristoff. She'll love it." Realization dawned in his features and he smiled and nodded, his blonde bangs falling in front of his eyes. Elsa thought it gave him the look of an eager young child and she couldn't help the giggle that came out. Kristoff blushed sheepishly and when Erik turned towards them from the doorway, he couldn't help but smile at their childish antics. It had been a long time since he had seen Elsa that happy and relaxed and it was a sight he hoped he'd never grow tired of. He felt hopeful that maybe they could work everything out and be a happy family once again. Together, the three of them walked out the doors and into the midday sun, happy and content.
The first part of their journey back was silent as the three of them all thought about what had happened. Kristoff sat alone in the front as he drove the sleigh back to Arendelle. He knew that Elsa and her father, both of them sitting in the back, needed to talk things out some more. While the bulk of their issues had been resolved, he was sure there was still quite a bit for them to get out in the open. He would give them all of the privacy he could and concentrated on the road in front of him, eager to return home.
Reclining in the back of the sleigh, Elsa and her father looked at each other in awkward silence. The father and daughter duo each knew they had to say something but neither one wanted to upset the easy truce they seemed to have come to. Their re-established relationship was still fragile. One wrong word and the precarious position they were in could crumble, taking away all the progress they had made. With still a few hours to go before they reached Arendelle, it was inevitable that words would be exchanged.
Shifting slightly, Elsa opened her mouth to speak, her words so quiet, Erik could hardly hear her. "Were you ever scared of me, of what I could do?" Startled at both her question and the sudden end to their silence, Erik could only look at Elsa as he gathered the words he wanted to say.
"Maybe a little." At her crestfallen look, Erik quickly elaborated. "It's not what you think, Elsa. You see, you were born with your powers and your mother and I didn't know what to think about it. We didn't know where that power had come from or why you had it and we were worried about what it could do to you. When you were little, it was easier for you to control yourself. You could barely form more than a couple of snowflakes at a time without tiring yourself out. As you grew, your powers did too and we watched as you struggled more and more in trying to control them. Even as a toddler, we could see that someday, all of that power could prove to be too much for you. And for that, we were scared." Elsa looked at him curiously. "You were such a sweet little thing. Innocent and pure; you never could hurt anyone, even if you tried. But, as you struggled with controlling your powers, your mother and I were worried that if there did come that day where all of that power got to be too much for you, you could be hurt. Our worst fear was not that you would hurt others but that your power might cause them to hurt you."
Elsa gasped at her father's words. Not once in her twenty-two years had she imagined that her parents would be afraid for her and not ofher. She had always imagined that her self-imposed isolation was due to fear of her powers and that at any moment, those powers would become too much and do something horrible. That was always her greatest fear and it was that fear that had caused her childhood memories to become so hazy and confused. Her young, fear-addled mind had refused to realize anything other than the awful conclusions she had jumped to. Her fear for her parents, and their presumed fear of her, had caused her all those years of terrible loneliness. For that she only had herself to blame.
She sniffed and Erik could see that fresh tears were about to fall. Scooting close enough that he could wrap a protective arm around her, Erik just sat there and rocked her, not minding the wetness he was soon feeling on his shoulder.
"Shh…it's okay Elsa."
"Y…you weren't scared of me. You were scared of everyone else. You were only trying to protect me…"
"Of course we were. You are our daughter and we love you, no matter what. Just because you had powers didn't mean we would love you any less. Perhaps we treated you a bit differently, maybe even unfairly, but that was only because we felt we had to protect you from all those who wouldn't understand. We didn't know what others would do if they knew about what you could do. Rather than face that any unpleasant possibilities, we felt it was best if no one knew the true extent of your powers. People questioned us constantly, wondering why we hid you away. We couldn't tell anyone, not if we wanted to keep you safe. We worried about that, about you, constantly. Maybe we worried too much, so much so that you got the impression that it was you that we feared. For that, I'm truly sorry."
Elsa could hear the genuine remorse and regret in his voice and her own voice choked up as she spoke. "Oh, Papa. I'm sorry. For everything. If I could have only remembered all of my wonderful memories of you and Momma, none of his would have happened. All those years when I was afraid to touch you, to love you…all those years were wasted on my own fears and insecurities. You were only trying to help me. I see that now. You always loved me. I guess I just forgot that. I hope you can forgive me."
"Elsa, there's nothing I need to forgive you for. You were a scared, confused little girl and our actions, though noble, really did nothing to help you through that. We should have tried harder help you, to listen to you. We always hoped that one day you would be able to forgive us for all of our mistakes. We've always loved you; we only wanted to protect you and keep you safe. I hope you know that."
"I do know that, Papa. And I do…I do forgive you. We made mistakes. You and Momma and me. All of those mistakes only led to fear and misunderstandings. On all our parts. We wasted what could have been happy years together because not one of us could find the words or the courage to work things out. We were all too scared or preoccupied with our own struggles and fears. I don't have to apologize for that and neither do you." She looked at her father seriously, all the grace and strength of a queen shining through. "The past is in the past. We can't run from it anymore. We will learn from it and grow stronger and closer together than ever before."
Erik shook his head, marveled at his daughter's strength and courage. "Elsa, you truly are a wonderful queen. Your mother and I are so proud of the young woman you have become." Elsa looked at him, her queenly mask replaced by that of a proud daughter. "You're right. We can't change the past, but we will use it to grow stronger as a family, to overcome whatever obstacles are thrown our way." He smiled brightly at her. "I love you Elsa, no matter what. Now, always, and forever."
"I love you too, Papa. Forever." Father and daughter embraced and relaxed in the wooden sleigh as they journeyed back to Arendelle, both of their hearts lighter and happier than they could ever remember.
"Do you think they'll be back soon?" Anna fidgeted nervously as she paced back and forth in Elsa's study. Anya watched her youngest daughter. If the situation wasn't so serious and her daughter hadn't been so worried, she would have found humor in it. As it was, she knew that it would likely be at least a few more hours, if not days, until Kristoff and her husband returned, hopefully bringing Elsa back with them. She wasn't expecting the reconciliation between father and daughter to happen quickly. Elsa was in pain and it would take her a long time to deal with that pain. She was worried for both of them and could only hope that they would be back soon. At the moment, she focused her attention on Anna.
"Calm down, dear. Pacing and worrying like that will not get them back any faster. I know your father and he'll do whatever it takes to bring Elsa home. They won't return empty-handed. Trust me on this." Anya could see Anna relax a little, though tension was still evident in her stance. She needed something else to take her mind off of the current situation. "Anna," she spoke softly but it was enough to get her daughter's attention and the redhead turned towards her mother as she finally stopped pacing. "Why don't you come back over here and we can go over some more wedding plans?" Anya's smile was sincere and she watched happily as the tension seemed to drain from the young girl. Anna had always had a one-track mind, even as a little girl. Once she set her mind to something, there were very few things that could sway her away, as both of her parents found out often enough. Chocolate and Elsa seemed to be the only two items on the 'list of things to distract Anna' that would always work. Anya quickly discovered that Kristoff and wedding plans could both be added to that list as well, which currently worked to her advantage.
Anna walked over to her mother, slightly mollified at her suggestion, and, sitting down at Elsa's large desk, she began gathering up some of the many papers strewn about. She looked up sheepishly and sighed. "You're right. I shouldn't be so worried. They'll be fine. Elsa will come back and she won't ever leave me again, right?" Anya didn't know whether or not to answer her daughter's question and instead chose to reach over and place a soft hand on Anna's. The younger woman looked up and tried to smile gratefully. "I get it. I'm babbling again. I do that when I'm nervous, as you clearly know. Sorry." Anya only smiled back, amused at her daughter's antics. "Okay, where were we?"
"I believe you were trying to decide the guest list."
"Right. I would like Kai and Gerda to both attend and some of the other staff as well. I would love to invite the trolls and I know Kristoff would really appreciate it, but I don't think that's such a good idea. It is kind of a long distance for them to travel and I would want all them to be present since they are all part of Kristoff's family. I think it will be too much for them, especially for Pabbie. Perhaps Kristoff and I could visit them and try to involve them somehow…" She trailed off as her mind wandered away from the task at hand. She quickly regained her senses and looked to her mother. "Sorry. Uh, let's see…oh, of course Sven and Olaf will have to be there. I could never leave them out. And you and Papa will be attending, right?"
"Sweetheart, we wouldn't miss your wedding for anything. We are just grateful that we are even here to be able to come."
"Me too." Anna's voice was sincere as she looked back to her notes. "I know Elsa was kind of hoping that I would invite representatives from some of the other kingdoms to help reinforce our good relations with them, but I really don't want a big wedding. I was hoping for a smaller affair. I know Kristoff would prefer that; he hates crowds and fuss and being the center of attention. He had a hard enough time when we had our engagement ball. I can't imagine what such a large extravagant wedding will do to him."
"How about you just deal with what you want and I'll help with the rest. You make the guest list as small and as intimate as you like and I'll deal with the more diplomatic side of things. You have enough to deal with with this wedding as it is without adding any more stress to it." She smiled. "Besides I have managed to plan a formal function or two in my day, weddings included. Who do you think planned my own?" The two shared a happy smile and went back to work, Anya thankful that Anna's mind was finally focused on something else.
They were so involved with discussions and planning that they didn't even notice that a few hours had passed until a knock was heard on the study's door. Momentarily startled, Anya was the first to come to her senses. "Yes?" A servant's confused voice answered.
"Princess Anna? Ma'am, Sir Kristoff has returned. And…so has the queen."
At those words, Anna leapt out of her chair as she ran to open the door.
"Elsa's back?" She practically shouted those words and startled the man on the other side of the door. The servant stared at her openmouthed for a moment before he nodded, too shocked for words. With Anna's big eyes staring intently at him, urging him for more information, he continued.
"Yes. She's waiting for you in the sitting room." As quickly as he could, he turned on his heel and dashed as inconspicuously as he could back down the hall, much to the amusement and confusion of the two women.
"What was that about?" Anna muttered as she watched him retreat.
"I think you scared him, Anna." She turned around to look at her mother, confused. Anya elaborated, amused. "I don't think he was expecting you to jump at him like that."
"I didn't mean to; I just was excited that Elsa's finally back."
"I know you are dear, and I'm glad that she came back too. And so soon. But remember: no one here but the two of us even knew that Elsa has been gone since last night. I'm sure he was just confused as to why she suddenly appeared when, for all intents and purposes, she was in the castle the entire time. He was probably just surprised to see her and for you to scare him like that…it was probably a little too much."
"Oh. I didn't even think of that." Anna seemed remorseful. "I'll find him later to apologize. Let's go see Elsa!" Laughing, Anya could only shake her head as Anna nearly charged down the hall, her mother following close behind.
When they made it to the sitting room, Anna couldn't contain her excitement and burst in. She took in the scene before her: her father and Elsa were sitting on the sofa, next to one another, sipping tea and talking, calmly, to one another. There seemed to be no hint of the animosity and tears that she had seen from Elsa just yesterday and her father seemed much happier than he had been only a day ago. Kristoff was seated in a chair near the doorway, a smile on his face as he listened to their conversation.
The sound of the door slamming, and Anna's sudden appearance, caused the three of them to turn to look at her. Erik and Kristoff seemed to be the most startled and could only stare at her with wide eyes. Elsa, however, looked at her sister fondly and stood up, a loving smile on her face.
"Hello, Anna. It's good to see you."
"Elsa?" Seeing her sister there in front of her eyes, Anna couldn't help but just stare at her, happy tears threatening to fall. Making a move, she walked over to Elsa and pulled her into a hug. The older sister accepted the embrace and hugged her back just as fiercely.
When they finally pulled apart, Elsa was surprised to see not only tears in her sister's eyes but a hint of anger.
"Anna? What's wrong?"
"How could you do that again Elsa? How could you run away again? You know I don't like it when you do that! I thought you were through with that, with all of the running and the hiding! I thought you could trust me and that you would come to me if you had any problems! Was I wrong? Why did you do it?"
"Oh Anna." She hated seeing her sister upset. She always had been. It was even worse when she was the reason for it. "It wasn't you, really. I just…needed some space and some time to myself to sort through everything. Believe me when I say that even that little talk we had helped me in some way. There were just too many emotions that I had to figure out and I didn't want to do it anywhere where I could accidentally cause some damage or freeze someone." She spared a quick glance to her father before looking back at Anna. "I am sorry for leaving you again, but I had to do this by myself. You know I love you and as much as I wished you could have helped me, this was something I had to do on my own. You understand that, don't you?"
Elsa's voice was nearly pleading and as angry as she may have been at her sister, she couldn't stay mad at her for long. All day she had worried about what was happening and why her sister had left again. She worried that it was something she did, again, but her mother, and Elsa's note, had managed to convince her otherwise. Elsa had grown used to resolving her problems on her own and while the two of them had made great strides towards being able to lean on and rely on each other in times of crises, she came to realize that her sister still had some problems opening up to others and allowing herself to be supported by others. Seeing her sister now, it looked like that whatever issues she had had, she had managed to resolve. She knew that Elsa had made the right decision to leave, as much as it hurt her to admit that to herself.
She smiled. "I do understand, Elsa. Really. Just tell me one thing…did you sort through everything now? Are you feeling better?" Elsa stepped back slightly from her sister and looked around the room. She caught her father's eye and smiled at him as he did the same. Her eyes soon found her mother, who looked nervous. She smiled reassuringly at her and vowed silently to herself that she would try her hardest to repair their relationship as well. Kristoff was next and he shuffled back and forth on his feet and stood as awkwardly as he usually did when he was unsure of what to do. She could only shake her head at him before she finally turned her eyes back towards her sister.
"I'm great, Anna. I couldn't be better. Truly." Anna looked seriously at her to reassure herself that Elsa was telling the truth. Satisfied, she smiled brightly.
"Good. I'm glad. And please don't run away again, okay?"
"Okay, little sister. I won't. I promise." They hugged each other again, but the moment was interrupted by a slight rumbling noise. The two broke apart and Anna looked down before she smiled back up at her sister sheepishly.
"Uhh…I guess I am a little hungry. I've been so busy and preoccupied all day that I guess I just forgot what time it is. It's probably nearly time for dinner by now." Elsa smirked knowingly.
"Of course you are. Well, you're in luck. Just before you walked in, I was informed that dinner would be ready soon. Perhaps we should all make our way to the dining room. Maybe we can all finally have that family dinner together." She was answered by another rumble. This time, Anna turned to look behind her and Elsa caught the reddish tint of Kristoff's cheeks as he looked down. Anna walked over to her fiancée and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and leaned up to place a kiss on his cheek. He looked sheepishly at her and she smiled gently back
"I believe I'm not the only one who's had a long day. It sounds more than one of us could use something to eat. What do you say, Kristoff?" Still too embarrassed to speak, the ice harvester could only nod. "Okay then. Shall we?" She held out her arm to Kristoff and, being a gentleman, he briefly forgot his discomfiture and allowed her to wrap her arm around his. Elsa walked up to the two of them and patted the young man on the back. Faint and nearly undetectable, a third, quieter rumble was heard. Elsa blushed and both girls looked up at the mountain man and giggled. Their infectious laughter got to him and he couldn't help but to join in on their merriment.
Erik walked over to his wife and placed a hand on her shoulder. She smiled up at him, her smile bright and her eyes shining with happiness. They watched the three young adults smile and laugh at something inaudible to the two of them but it didn't matter. To see both of their daughters again, and their unexpected future son-in-law, all happy and full of life…it was a sight they would cherish forever. They could only follow behind the trio as all five of them left the sitting room and headed to the dining room. Neither Erik nor Anya could stop marveling at the many twists and turns their lives had taken recently to have them end up back here with their growing family, joyous, excited, loving, and whole once more.