A/N: Hi everyone, I know it's been a long time but I finally got around to finishing this one. This is it and I really hope I gave it justice and the ending this story deserves. I understand it's been a while, so if you need to reread just know I fixed up every chapter as much as I could. You might find a few nicks missing and maybe some slight additions (nothing too drastic.)

It's been wild.

Chapter 11

...

2 years later

No one had really heard from Kristoff. The only thing I knew was that he signed up to join the air force without looking back. His parents tell me he's doing much better now, albeit it did take him time to find happiness again.

It took us all some time.

I went back to Chicago, selling the house and whatever wasn't of personal value in it. The hardest part was packing up my dad's stuff… his room took me the longest, considering I had decided on doing it myself. I didn't like the idea of strangers touching his stuff. That didn't mean I didn't have help with the rest of the house.

Honestly, if I hadn't hired help then it probably wouldn't have been done.

The money from the house helped pay for rest of my degree plus room and board, the leftovers went into a savings account. I was able to keep busy during my time in college. If I wasn't studying in my small apartment within school grounds then I was working at local galleries. I didn't stop moving the moment I got back home. If I did, that meant I had too much time to think.

Elsa stayed in New York. She had a life over there, a business that she couldn't leave just because I still needed to get my shit together. And I couldn't be a burden to her any longer, it wouldn't have been fair. So I was able to convince her to stay while I left, with the promise of calling each other when we could. She wasn't entirely fond of the idea but she didn't have much of a say. It took time for me to finish school and close up loose ends in Chicago.

It pissed her off even more when I decided to study abroad in Europe for another year.

Trust me when I say we had a couple of fights about it though. It ultimately led me to believe we really did need a decent break to breath from the drama of everything that had transpired. I never stopped loving her… but it did hurt when she found comfort in others from time to time. She didn't need tell me, I knew the familiar sound of a satisfied woman answering the phone and cooing Elsa to wake up for a call from me.

Even if they were one-night stands, I had no right to be upset.

It's not like I didn't do the same a few drunk nights. Everyone has their own way of healing and we're only human.

"Anna, are you listening?"

Nope.

Tiana waived a hand in my face, "C'mon sugar, you've been in a tizzy for years now. You still thinking about that whole mess?"

"I guess it's my punishment."

Tiana gave me a pointed look. "You don't need to torture yourself more than you already have, they weren't the best decisions of your life but you're still human. You're allowed to move on."

I gave her a sympathetic smile, "Yeah… right."

She shook her head, "I know it's really none of my business… but you've been back from Europe for two weeks now, why haven't you gone to see her? I know you want to."

That really was the question of the hour.

"I dunno… if I'm being honest with myself… I think I'm terrified."

Her brows furrowed, the question as to why hanging between us as she waited for me to continue. I ran a hand through my fringes as my bracelet caught the corner on my eye. I never took it off.

"What if after all this time," I huffed tiredly struggling with my words, "after the heart ache, the fighting, the lonely nights, the secrecy… what if after all that, there's really nothing between us?"

"What if she realizes she doesn't want to be with me after all the crap I've put her through?"

Tia placed a hand over mine, "C'mon, Anna, you can't seriously think that. The letters, the confessions… you two have always had something there. You can't throw that away because you're scared of the unknown."

I looked up, her eyes imploring me with reason, "Avoiding her is what caused this whole mess to begin with, don't let it be the catalyst again. You can be happy with her if you just let yourself."

I soaked in her words, not wanting to ruin our time together any longer with my problems. So I smiled, nodding my head until she was convinced I understood the weight of her words.

"Alright, I'm heading off to bed. See you in the morning, Anna."

She definitely gave me something to think about when we parted.

I threw myself on the sofa with a sigh. I didn't want to settle back in Chicago, it didn't feel like home to me anymore. So when I found out Tiana moved to New York to expand her restaurant, I jumped at the chance to stay with her till I got my own place.

So what do I want?

I grabbed my cigs in frustration and went out to their balcony. The night air was crisp and calm, the faints sounds of traffic in the distance didn't bother me as I tapped the box against my palm. I drew the cigarette to my lips, flaming it to life with a deep inhale as I looked up to the sky.

I blew out a puff of smoke with a groan, leaning forward on my elbows as the pads of my fingers caressed the blue stone over my wrist. It's not like I didn't want to call her, I just… I pulled out my phone, taking another drag as I looked at the time. It was late. She's probably sleeping.

My thumb hesitated over her name, twitching as I tapped anyway. It rang a couple of times. I thought it would go to voicemail until I heard her gentle voice over the speaker. It made me regret calling.

Hi.

"H-Hey." Fuck, I didn't know what to say.

How're you?

"Fine, taking a smoke… I, um… I just got back from Europe a couple weeks ago."

Oh? That's good to hear.

From the way her voice sounded, she didn't know what to say either. We stayed silent as I took another drag, pressing a thumb between my brows as I contemplated. "… Actually, I've been thinking a lot… about us."

Yeah?

"Yeah," I smiled sadly against my phone and I could hear her smiling too. I wanted to be there with her, stealing kisses and making her laugh. My body trembled at the thought of circling my arms around her again, to feel our noses bump, and her smile against my cheek. I wanted all of it.

It made my eyes water as I thought back on every fucking mistake I've ever made, all the time it took for me to feel okay again, "I miss you… so much…"

I clenched the rail on the balcony, biting my lip to hold back the pain in the chest. I took a shaky breath, her sigh caressing my ear from the other side of the call.

Anna, where are you?

My heart skipped a beat, "I'm staying with a friend… in New York. It's on the corner by that bakery we used to walk to from the park, do you remember?"

She paused, …Yeah, I remember. Why didn't you tell me you were here sooner?

Sighing into the phone, I bit my lip, "… I was scared, Elsa. I didn't know if you wanted to see me after all this time."

Why would you think that?

Everyone seemed to ask me the same thing. It was getting harder to justify my case, "I don't know, I-"

There was static coming from the other end for a moment.

"Elsa? You there?"

Y-Yeah… she sounded out of breath, I just dropped my phone, keep, keep talking to me.

"W-What're you doing?"

Honestly? I'm… She hesitated taking a minute to breathe. There was a knock coming from inside the apartment. I jumped at the sound, looking at my phone in disbelief, "Elsa… are you?"

…You should probably answer that.

Tossing my cigarette, I ran inside, nearly stumbling over the sofa as I wretched the door open. There she was, covered in sweat and leaning against the doorframe. "H-Hey, I found you," she was panting, trying to catch her breath while she hung up her phone. She had a smirk on her face as I stared wide eyed in awe.

"What are you doing here?!"

She wiped her forehead, pushing back her bangs that stuck to her face, "I, I wanted to see you," she took another deep breath, struggling between sentences, "you sounded so upset, so, so I ran toward the bakery… followed the sound of your voice from… the balcony."

Tiana overheard the commotion and peeped her head from her room, "Everything alright, sugar?"

"Y-Yeah, Tia… it's just Elsa."

She paused before calling out again, "… I'll leave you be then."

Elsa chuckled lightly, gesturing me to follow her outside so we wouldn't make anymore noise so late at night. We sat out by the curb, Elsa laying back so she could catch a breath. I let her relax for a bit, still processing that she just ran all the way from her apartment and managed to find me. From her spot on the floor, I felt her eyes regarding me, "Anna, why would you think I didn't want to see you?"

I shrugged, finding the whole thing kinda silly after Elsa's big gesture in coming here, "A part of me thought you were bored of my antics, making you wait… leaving you behind."

"Well you sure as hell pissed me off, but, Anna I've already told you… I'm in love with you and that hasn't changed, not once. You and I? We're a lot of work."

She sat up, bumping her shoulder with mine so I would look at her, "So, what do you want to do about it?"

What do I want? The answered seemed so easy now with her in front of me, looking utterly exhausted and gorgeous all at once.

I leaned forward, tipping her chin as I pressed my lips against hers with resolve. She whimpered, already out of breath enough as she pulled back with a smile, her breath tickling my face. It was infectious as a smile graced my lips in response, "I want to try again, Elsa… I want to come home."

I fiddled with the hem of my blouse, bouncing from toe to toe as I scanned the room. Elsa placed a hand over my shoulder, "Relax, Anna, he's not even here yet." I leaned into her touch, nodding nervously as I held my lip between my teeth.

She moved forward, whispering in my ear, "You look beautiful by the way."

I turned, giving her a soft smile as I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, "You already said that earlier."

"I meant it," she planted a chaste kiss over my lips as a waitress led us to our table.

We slid into one side of the booth with ease as I watched the other patrons in the diner converse. My bag felt heavy over my lap, the contents within making me swallow thickly. I didn't know what to think when I saw his trimmed blonde hair peaking through the entrance to find us, but my heart stopped. A part of me wanted to run until Elsa laid a hand on my knee as she watched her brother approach us. He didn't wear a smile or a frown, he seemed indifferent, sitting across from us without a word.

We didn't know what to say. I don't think any of us thought we'd be sitting at a dinner table together after what happened. I honestly, thought I'd never see him again. He shrugged off his jacket, showing the grown muscles and tanned skin he adopted from the air force.

Elsa was the first to speak, "… You look good, Kristoff, thank you for coming."

"I wasn't going to show up…" His tone wasn't vindictive or nasty as he regarded us, just relaxed.

Those hazel eyes locked with cerulean as he watched Elsa, "… but mom gave me a hard time, well, you know how she can be." She smiled faintly, nodding in acknowledgment as the waitress came by with coffee. I busied myself with cream and sugar, hesitating when Kristoff passed me a stirrer without a second thought. I couldn't even look at him in the eyes.

How can he act so calm about all this?

Elsa cleared her throat, glancing from her mug to him, "…Will you hear what I have to say?"

He grunted in response and it was enough for her to keep going, "I don't suppose you'd want to hear anymore apologies from us or from me."

"No, you've expressed that enough through countless voicemails. I don't need another I'm sorry." She held her breath, clenching my knee as I brought my hand underneath the table, swiping my thumb over her knuckles in support.

He leaned back with a quizzical brow, "What's so different now?"

She pressed on, "I… want a chance to be the sister you deserve, Kristoff, we're still family and I want to be there for you even if you don't want me to… Please…"

He looked as if he was about to make a snarky remark but held his tongue. Searching her face for a moment, he sighed in resignation as he rubbed his neck tiredly, "It's exhausting, staying upset for so long…"

Sipping his coffee, he swirled it in his mouth before swallowing, "I don't suppose you're just going to leave me alone if I say no anyway, right?"

This time she smiled up at him, filled with hope, whispering her words carefully, "Not a chance."

He chuckled to himself, "Stubborn ass."

It was the first time in years I thought that they might be okay again.

His hazel eyes shifted finally to me, dipping his head to catch my nervous gaze as I realized his attention was all on me.

"What about you, Anna? Are you even gonna look at me?"

His voice grew gentle and it broke my heart. I almost choked on my words as I finally looked into his eyes, glinting in the morning sun, "I-I don't know where to even begin, Kristoff," my tone was weak as my throat bobbed.

"Anna…" Elsa whispered beside me, patting my knee as she looked to my bag, "the letters."

Right, the letters. I fumbled with the wrapped bundle of papers, pausing for a moment to look at them fondly before giving them up to him. He took them cautiously, eyeing the lettering as he noticed his name written on every sealed paper. The pads of his fingers traced my handwriting, noting the years of wear and tear on them.

He hummed to himself, holding the papers tenderly, "You… You wrote to me?" He sounded shocked, almost in disbelief, as he quietly counted two years worth of writing.

One letter for every month.

I practiced my breathing, taking the time to say the right thing. It felt like I only had this one chance and I didn't want to mess it up. When Elsa linked our fingers from beneath the table, I found the courage to speak.

"… You said you never wanted to see us again… and, and I didn't know what else to do… I know-" my voice was cracking as he listened carefully, sadness encompassing his features.

"-I know, it doesn't change what I did to you… how I fucked up… I don't expect it to be enough but… Kristoff, this is all that's left of me. You have all that I am, all I've ever wanted to say there in your hands… a-and I'm sorry it'll never be enough…"

The tears were falling down my face now as I leaned forward, placing a hand over my chest, "You can hate me for the rest of my life… but-"

He put up his hand, cutting me off as his words dripped over my ears, "Anna, I don't hate you… I physically can't, I've tried. There's no room in my body to hate you or Elsa. You just hurt me… do you understand?"

I hadn't noticed Elsa crying too until I felt her hand trembling in mine. When I looked up, she had hide her face behind dainty fingers, eyes closed in defeat.

Kristoff looked between the two of us, his hand grasping his sister's forearm, "Elsa, look at me, please."

Her eyes fluttered open, dazed in his forgiving irises as he licked his lips, "I didn't know what to expect when I agreed to meet with you both… but it sure as hell wasn't this…" He gestured to the letters.

"It's gonna take a lot of work if you two are willing… but, I think I'm ready to start."

Elsa and I looked to each other as we smiled gently in agreement and then to him. It wasn't a perfect reunion, but it was a start. I was grateful to even have that with him.

The drive back to our apartment was quiet, the street lamps illuminating the slick streets of New York. Our city.

I held her hand over the gear shift, fingers laced together as I caressed her skin from time to time. Occasionally, I would steal glances at her profile. Then she'd catch me staring, causing her to look away as she bit her lip. My heart was bumping a sporadic tune in my chest, tightening as I leaned back in the passengers seat. We parked up along the curb, taking our time as we made our way up the blue front door.

Then she spun me around as my shoulders knocked up against the wood, uncaring as long as her lips were pressed firmly over my own. She kissed me lazily, holding the back of my neck as I sighed in response. I was breathless when she finally broke away, "… What was that for?"

She licked her lips with a sly grin, "Because I can."

I didn't complain, letting her lead me inside as I bit back a goofy smile. God, the things you do to me…

She shrugged off her coat, dropping it to the sofa as she moved to her stereo quietly, the sounds of blues flooding the apartment not a second later. I nearly flicked on the lights when her hands stopped me from behind. I smiled to myself, relaxing as her warm breath washed over the back of my neck, her hands spinning me by the waist. I melted into her, settling my curves against hers like so many times before.

Those thick lashes fluttered over endless baby blues, gazing at me with adoration. I leaned into the crook of her neck, my arms looped behind her as she embraced me with a happy sigh. We swayed gently to no specific beat, my hands playing with blonde loose strands from her bun. I could've fallen asleep from the way she rubbed my back, her voice humming along to the melody. She made me fall in love with her over and over again… it was constant.

Sometimes I still think back and wonder what my life would've been like, had we done things differently. But then we wouldn't be living in the moment and that's all I wanted to do anymore.

I kissed her neck, licking my lips as I got closer to her ear, "I think I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Elsa Knowles."

She pulled back to meet my eyes, a lopsided grin on her face, "Yeah?"

I leaned up and kissed that stupid grin, "Yeah."

...

The end.

Thank you all for everything, I truly mean that. As always, please feel free to fav/follow or review your final thoughts. Take care.