I'm sorry this is late. My updates are getting spotty and I'm a shit author for making you wait for another week.

Plans came up so I was away from my computer for long periods of time, I got sick and was bedridden for most of the day with the computer in the living room and I didn't want to get out of bed to tack away at the desktop while sniffling and coughing, and I'm only human for neglecting this story when it just hit 300+ reviews.

Which, by the way, is fucking phenomenal!

I don't deserve it, really. But thank you all so much.

I also have a thing called "taking a break" so… there's that too. Sometimes I need to step away from certain things and try something new. But rest assured Scars will be finished.

Elsanna goodness in this chapter to make up for my long hiatus. I promise that I will start being more on point when I update now that it's a new year. Every Sunday if real life doesn't break down the door and go "surprise bitch!"

So… here we go.

Just as their laughter died down, Rapunzel called back on FaceTime. Anna hushed Elsa before she pressed answer, grinning down at the very flustered and very offended brunette. She looked as if Anna had betrayed her in some way. As if Anna had snatched away the boy Rapunzel was in love with, knowing that she liked him. But it wasn't too different since Anna was now dating the singer Rapunzel idolized.

"When?" Rapunzel snapped. "When and why the fuck didn't you tell me ahead of time!?"

"This is recent," Anna said quickly, rolling her eyes.

"So you actually are dating?" Rapunzel said.

"Jealous?" teased Elsa, winking down at Rapunzel.

"You have no idea," both Anna and Rapunzel said.

"I can't believe you're dating Elsa! The Elsa!" spluttered the brunette, running a hand through her hair in astonishment.

"Keep the compliments coming, babe," Elsa grinned.

"Shut up," Anna said, shoving Elsa into the pillows behind her.

"This is unbelievable," Rapunzel whispered to herself. "I really cannot believe it. You're dating Elsa. Elsa. Holy balls, man. This is… whoa."

"Keep it on the down low, though," Elsa said quickly. "If you don't mind, darling, we're not very public yet."

"We're kinda fucked because I just told Arendelle's biggest gossip," Anna mumbled.

"No, no," Rapunzel muttered. "My lips are sealed, I swear. Okay, well, it's almost dinner time over here so I should hop off. Congrats, Anna. You won the fucking body lottery."

As Elsa cracked up laughing, Anna rolled her eyes yet again and bid Rapunzel goodnight.

"You're a damn leech, feeding off compliments from your fans," Anna said bluntly, plugging her phone into its charger before sinking beneath the blankets.

"Baby, I just let 'em tell me the truth," Elsa shrugged, following suit and turning off the light beside the bed. "And hey, are you sure you want to be sharing a bed with me just yet?"

"Els, we had sex before we even started this whole thing," Anna deadpanned. "I think sleeping in the same bed is child's play compared to that, don't you?"

The punk started laughing but was cut off with a short cough, alarming Anna slightly. She reached out for Elsa but was pushed away gently as the coughing fir continued.

"Oh god, you aren't dying are you?" Anna said, half-joking.

Again, she made Elsa laugh but she was cough-smiling instead.

"No, you moron," she croaked, rubbing her neck with her gloved hands. "Maybe I caught a lil' bug. I don't want you getting sick. I'll sleep on the couch—"

"It's fine, relax," Anna said quickly. "Just take a drink of water. It'll sooth your throat. I mean, hey, you've been singing for a long period of time. You need to rest your voice."

Elsa made a mumbling sound before getting out of bed, picking her way through the dark room, and unscrewing a bottle of Arrowhead water she had snagged from the concert once she found it at the table. She took several long swigs, Anna watching her carefully, before stopping and wiping her mouth with the heel of her hand.

"Fuck," Elsa whined, crawling back in with Anna.

"Just rest yourself and lay off any dairy products," Anna advised. "And take off your stupid gloves before you go to bed."

Elsa rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay." She peeled off the leather and tossed them over to her clothing pile. "You know, kid, sometimes it feels like they're a part of my skin."

"That's only 'cause you wear them too often." Anna yawned and cuddled up closer to Elsa. "Now can we just sleep? I have a hot breakfast date tomorrow with some punk I kinda have a crush on."

"Do you really?" In the honeyed tone. "I have a hot breakfast date with an adorable roadie I want to kiss senseless."

"You're impossible, I hope you know that."

"You keep saying that, darling, but you know you can't stop it."

A tender kiss was pressed against Anna's lips, a hand running down her exposed legs, making the ginger shiver at the touch of the scars. She absolutely adored this side of Elsa. And the kiss was taking her breath away.

As Elsa pulled back, Anna felt exhaustion suddenly crash down on her like a ten ton weight. She thought she heard Elsa whisper a wish of pleasant dreams but she was too far gone in drowsiness to reply.

While the boys split off and went to explore the city of Memphis, Elsa and Anna scoped out a diner called The Arcade Restaurant. But Anna found something rather odd about their walk together. Elsa was refusing to hold Anna's hand and refusing to drape an arm around her shoulders. They only walked side-by-side like they used to; Elsa's hands in her jacket pockets and Anna's at her sides.

She didn't say anything about it, however. She and Elsa were still on the edges of a relationship and so far the only thing they had done was kiss. Anna didn't count their little "sex-capade" beforehand. They hadn't been official yet. Perhaps, she wondered, Elsa was uncomfortable with PDA…

Then she reminded herself of the numerous times Elsa had made out with a fan during a party or at a bar. Uncomfortable with PDA seemed a silly assumption now.

"After you," Elsa said sweetly, pulling back the glass door of the diner.

"Oh, thanks," Anna replied, the smile on Elsa's face giving her butterflies. "Thank you."

She stepped over the threshold, Elsa following suit. The punk's blue eyes scanned the restaurant before they fell on a booth that was secluded enough. If she angled herself in the right way, nobody would be able to tell it was her.

"Over there," Elsa said, prodding Anna in the back with her finger.

The two strode through the mostly empty diner and sat in the booth, Elsa on one side and Anna on the other. Elsa's back was facing the front door and she positioned herself so her face couldn't be seen easily.

"You're acting very odd," Anna commented as a waitress shuffled over and handed them menus. "Is it that cough again?"

"No," Elsa said, reaching for a menu. "I just don't want to be seen."

"With me?" Anna added, shoulders drooping.

The blonde's eyes widened. "What!? No, no, no!" She shook her head. "I just don't want to get spotted by a fan and have them ruin the morning." She smiled. "I just want a nice breakfast with you."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, Anna. I'm sure."

Anna pursed her lips skeptically and gazed down at what was available for breakfast. Elsa realized she was still hesitant to believe her and sighed leaning forward and taking her girlfriend's hand.

"Anna, talk to me," she said. "Please, tell me what's on your mind."

The redhead saw only the Elsa she knew in the expression the girl across from her wore. The Elsa who was kind and compassionate, worrying about others instead of herself. The Elsa that had kissed her until she was swimming in ecstasy in a hotel in Raleigh.

"You… you wouldn't hold my hand or even touch me on the way over here," Anna said quietly.

"Oh." Elsa slid her hand back and fiddled with the end of her braid. "Well, it has nothing to do with you. It's… well, have you noticed that I'm hardly surrounded by the stupid paparazzi?"

As Anna thought about it, she realized it was true. Only fans have ever swarmed Elsa and the band even if Oaken was with them. So why hasn't the paparazzi touched Dry Ice in the most obnoxious way possible?

"What's that have to do with anything?" Anna wondered, furrowing her brows together.

"They don't have any dirt on me," Elsa said with a smug grin. "I haven't done anything illegal, worn anything inappropriate, or dated another celebrity. The last time the paparazzi caught me on camera, I was talking with a fan and the speculated I was dating her but she called up the magazine and was like, uhm, no."

"So you don't want the paparazzi to find a reason to bug you," Anna said, understanding. "Public affection is a no-go then?"

"I want to kiss you in public, trust me," Elsa snorted. "But I also don't want your face plastered all over the country. It's not fair to you. I don't give two shits if they get my mug on camera. You're just an innocent by-stander in all this." She lifted a gloved hand chest high. "But if they ever found out about my secret, they'd have a field day."

"But they won't," Anna said firmly.

"Haven't yet," Elsa said. "They're pretty ruthless. And I think any little thing can set them off. Seeing me with you, being affectionate and all, would be a goldmine to them." She waved the back of her hand at the menu. "Now, I want you to order whatever you want. I don't care how expensive it is. Hell, you can have ten refills of hot chocolate for all I care. I just want you to have a nice breakfast."

Anna batted her lashes sarcastically. "Oh, my knight in leather armor."

"Kinky," Elsa echoed from the previous day. "I didn't know you read Fifty Shades of Grey."

With a roll of teal eyes and a Doc Marten print on Elsa's jeans, they returned to perusing their menus.

That night, Elsa was regretting having had buttermilk pancakes topped off with whipped cream and butter. Her throat was starting to hurt and the cold temperature of backstage wasn't helping much either as she warmed up her vocals with a piano she had found in a lone dressing room.

She knew she could sing with a sore throat, though. She had lost her voice in her senior year of high school during Musical Theatre and she still sang the hell out of the Cell Block Tango for the mini-musical final. Her voice was scratchy and cracked but she managed it anyway.

No, singing regular songs wasn't what worried her.

It was the last note of "Let It Go." Sure, she sometimes adjusted the key to fit her voice on a specific night but she belted it just the same. But she had never attempted to sing the song with a shot voice before, let alone touch the high note at the end.

There was the option to skive out of it and not sing it whatsoever. But then she would disappoint her fans. That was the one song she had confidently written on her own. The one song everyone was expecting Elsa to sing at the end of the show.

She had Anna run out to a Starbucks and got her hot tea with honey a while ago but it did nothing to sooth her throat.

There was a knock on the door and Anna stepped inside with a headset and a clipboard in her hand, looking very much like a professional. Kristoff had given them to her to keep in contact throughout the show in case something went wrong or a light needed to be changed. She was a classic backstage worker now.

"The opening band is almost finished," Anna said. "You doing alright?"

"I just… eugh." Elsa nervously tapped the highest key on the piano. "I'm more nervous with this cough. But I can't let down the fans."

"You'll do great. You always do," Anna said supportively, crossing over to her.

Elsa could hear the sounds of the opening band as they sang out "Barracuda." It was the same group that had played the night before, getting more of a viewing now that they were opening for Dry Ice in Memphis. They never had the same opening band. It was usually some rinky-dink hometown band trying to get some recognition.

"Finish your tea," Anna instructed, spying the half empty cup on the piano. "Do you need me to warm it up for you?"

"No… It's fine," Elsa insisted. "I'll be out in time for the show."

"Should I change the songs? We can drop—"

"I'm sticking to the rehearsed set."

Anna nodded before leaving her girlfriend alone. Elsa chugged down the last of her lukewarm tea, sitting down at the piano. She tinkered with the keys for a while, humming on key with the acoustic version of "Let It Go" she only played for herself. Humming it was far easier than singing it and she knew it. But she was trying to kid herself so she could give herself a confidence boost.

She heard the band outside say their goodbyes and announce that Dry Ice would be on in five minutes.

Elsa swallowed her fear and got to her feet, striding out to the main backstage area. She was handed earplugs from Kristoff and stuck them inside, taking deep breaths. Olaf approached her and placed a gloved hand on her shoulder.

"Els, we can cancel the show if you aren't feeling well," he reminded her.

"No, I'm not gonna do that to them," Elsa said, poking a finger towards the auditorium. "They paid good money for a show and dammit I'm giving them a show."

"You're gonna sing 'Let It Go?'" Sitron said, appearing at her side.

"Yes, I am."

"Are you nuts?" Olaf gasped. "That high note… it'll ruin your throat!"

"I'm gonna give them what they want, and that's final," Elsa said sharply. "Now get on stage! I'll be out to start 'Raise Your Glass' on time. Just play the beginning and I'll jump out. No biggie."

Sitron and Olaf exchanged uncertain looks but knew they were going to get nowhere with Elsa at this point. So they turned away, heading onto the darkening stage with Marshmallow lumbering after them.

"Sven, you got the cues all set up?" Kristoff spoke into the headset, talking to Sven who was at the tech table as usual.

"Got everything. No changes?" Sven responded.

"No changes."

"Big mistake," Anna commented dryly. "She's gonna destroy her voice."

"She's a loyal leader," Sven snickered in her ear. "Lights are coming up in…"

Olaf started to riff on his guitar for the beginning of the song and just like Elsa promised, she burst onto stage, the crowd going wild.

Everything went smoothly for the first few songs, Elsa hardly showing that her throat wasn't at its best. She did have to take a breath and she called off stage for a bottle of water. Anna tossed it at her and Elsa caught it with ease, winking at her.

"Thanks, babe," she said casually enough for the audience to believe that it was just a simple roadie but enough for Anna to know she was being affectionate.

She took a quick swig before nodding at Olaf, indicating she was ready to do the next song.

At the very end, Sven cued up the piano guy in the back to play the start of "Let It Go." Elsa stood in a power stance and grazed the microphone with her lips, singing out her ballad and focusing every breath she had in her diaphragm and not so much her throat.

Anna was biting her lip and clutching her clipboard to her chest nervously as the guitar, bass, and drums jumped in simultaneously during the first chorus. Kristoff was crossing his fingers at her side, watching Elsa move across the stage with a determined passion.

Her voice was staggering just a bit as she came to the final part, the platform beneath her raising slightly as she sung out that the perfect girl was gone.

The note came.

Her voice was tired.

She couldn't sing it and she was close to tears as she basically scream-sang the note, her voice failing on her.

"The cold never bothered me anyway," Elsa sang and the lights blacked out.

In spite of the very noticeable screw-up, the audience cheered for her anyway, screaming her name and their declarations of love for her. Elsa slumped off stage, pulling at her hair, tears stinging the back of her eyes.

The excitement from yesterday's encore had completely left her system, humiliation and shame replacing her euphoria. She was crying in an entirely different way than last night and didn't even stop to talk to Anna or Kristoff or any of the band members. She ran off to the hotel, throwing her earplugs on the ground in the process.

Anna meekly picked them up and stared after Elsa, feeling herself choke up in sympathy. A few stagehands were walking by, about to clear up some of the equipment and Anna heard their conversation.

"Jeez, she really fucked up tonight," one said, humor laced in his tone.

"About time she realizes she's not so fucking perfect. That song is so obnoxious," the other replied.

"Yeah. Too bad she's not auto tuned on stage!"

They both convulsed into laughter and something snapped in Anna. She whirled around, grabbed one of them by the collar, and sent a hard punch into his face. He went flying backwards and landed on his back, his friend too stunned to do anything else.

"Shut up!" Anna yelled. "Shut your fucking mouths!"

She threatened to hit the other guy but her cowered, eyes wide at the roadie.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" the guy she hit demanded ferociously, spitting out some blood.

"You think that singing that note is easy!? I'd like to see you try it after years of wear and tear of singing. Try it after the longest tour of your life. Try it when you're ill!"

"Step off, kid," the other stagehand snapped. "Why don't you go defend your talentless queen somewhere else?"

Anna was about to storm him but Kristoff saw her and grabbed her around the waist just in time, trying to calm her down.

"Easy there, fiestypants!" Kristoff said. "Just let the moron be!"

"Let me at 'im!"

"Anna, stop it!"

"Okay!"

"You good?"

"I'm calm," Anna sighed.

"Great." Kristoff set her down and she pretended to turn away but she quickly turned and smacked the other stagehand in the face, however he didn't acquire as much damage as his friend did. "Oh, come on!" Kristoff yanked her away, Anna shouting rather ugly slurs at them that Merida had taught her a long time ago, the two staggering towards the stage and grumbling to themselves.

"You should have let me kicked their asses!" Anna whined, wrenching her arm out of his grip, tears falling down her face. "Elsa is mortified enough! Imagine the shit people will say about her online."

"Those people are idiots, Anna, and don't understand the strength it takes to sing that song over and over again," Kristoff reminded her.

"Oh, no… Elsa!" Anna gasped. She ripped her headset off and shoved it into Kristoff's hands. "I gotta find her!"

She took off running and pushed by several people, heading to the hotel in desperation.

Please be there, please be there, she repeated in her head, jamming the elevator button with her finger, bouncing on her heels anxiously.

Once the doors slid open, Anna ran inside and slammed the button to get to her floor. Chest heaving and the elevator chugging upwards, Anna waited until it landed on the designated floor. She ran down the hall, got to her room, and slid inside the key.

Elsa was thankfully inside, sitting in the middle of the bed with her head in her hands.

"Elsa," Anna said weakly, her knuckles throbbing from punching the stagehands. "Elsa, look at me."

A red and blotchy face lifted itself from the leather bound hands to face the out of breath roadie. Anna rushed over and pulled Elsa into a warm hug, planting kisses all over the tear-stained skin.

"You were wonderful," Anna whispered.

"No… I failed."

"Your voice was so strong."

"Anna, I already saw the forums on my phone."

"Their opinion doesn't mean anything."

"Anna, stop trying to—"

The redhead shoved her lips onto Elsa's and forced them both down onto the bed, Elsa underneath Anna. The kiss became lengthy, the tears of the punk creating a sort of slickness in their kiss. Elsa wanted to push Anna away, no intention on getting her sick but the roadie pulled back first. She pressed kisses along Elsa's neck, earning tiny moans from her girlfriend.

"Don't let this one thing bother you," Anna breathed into Elsa's ear. "You are far better than you think you are. You were sick, Elsa. You have a sore throat but you still went on stage. That takes real guts and I'm so proud of you."

"The media must have found this to be something to bombard me about now," Elsa said.

"Fuck them," Anna said firmly. "What matters is that you are so dedicated to your fans that you don't care about your own health and perform anyway. If it were anybody else, they would have either lip-synched or canceled the show altogether." She kissed the shell of Elsa's ear. "And guess what? Tonight was your last night here. Tomorrow, we hit the road and head to wherever the next stop is. You can take that time to rest up. Who cares what people think? You rocked the house tonight and your fans aren't… well, your true fans aren't going to think any less of you."

Elsa stared at Anna in wonderment as the supported herself above the punk with a loving twinkle in her eyes.

"You're too good for me," Elsa said.

"Nonsense," Anna said.

"You really are."

"Elsa, stop it." She kissed her again. "I'm very lucky to have you."

Tears built up in Elsa's eyes again and they flowed freely down the sides of her face as Anna kissed it calmly, whispering sweet nothings to her.

"If it's any consolation," Anna said after a few minutes, "I punched to guys in the face for trash talking you."

Elsa laughed. "Did you really?"

"Of course I did. Nobody messes with my girlfriend," Anna said.

The older girl felt her heart pound at the way "my girlfriend" rolled so easily off Anna's tongue. Anna scooted herself so she could spoon against Elsa, kissing her jawline as Elsa calmed herself, an arm around Anna's shoulders.

The next morning, the band boarded the bus, leaving Memphis behind. Elsa sat in the booth quietly, nursing a cup of tea with lemon and honey wearing Anna's college sweatshirt that she hated and a pair of worn out sweats, the gloves over her hands regardless, her body trying to get comfortable. Anna was next to her, reading a book for school. She didn't even taunt Elsa when the girl requested Anna's sweatshirt. She wordlessly handed it to her, kissing her tenderly and wishing her a speedy recovery.

The boys hadn't said a word about the incident but gave her subtle support. Kristoff was the one who made tea. Olaf let Elsa borrow his sweats, the pair is favorite because they had a snowman embroidered on the hem. Sitron played a round of Elsa's favorite game with her. Marshmallow braided Elsa's hair and Sven offered her a blanket.

Their next stop was Springfield, Missouri but Oaken took his time getting there to give Elsa plenty the opportunity to rest. The ride was quiet but nobody felt the need to break the silence. The only sounds filling the atmosphere was the chugging of the bus and the white noise of the video game Olaf and Sitron were playing.

An hour into the drive, Elsa finally spoke. Her voice was a little raspier than usual but it didn't stop her.

"Thank you," she told them all.

Cute family love chapter and as much Elsanna fluff I could cram in there.

This was inspired by the hate poor Idina Menzel received from the New Years Eve clip of her singing Let It Go and couldn't reach the high note at the end. There are countless reasons why she was unable to but she's done it many times before so people need to shut the fuck up about it.

So, I've decided to skip to Rapid City in the next chapter. There is going to be some more NSFW content in a chapter or two so if you don't want to read it, then don't read it. I'll put a warning on there but I don't want someone to PM me and say stop again.

My damn story.

And thanks so much for waiting on me, you guys. I know you all want this story to update more often but I'm only human.

I appreciate your continued support. Follow my tumblr! Link is on my profile :D

Kisses!

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