AUTHOR'S NOTE: Happy 8-year anniversary, everybody! I'm... completely at a loss for how to feel about this. And the fact that I, as a college student, started this in secret as a "fun little one-off" thingy, where I wasn't going to become obsessive, I wasn't going to become obsessive, I *WASN'T* going to become obsessive...

(Psst... I became obsessive.) XD

Anyway. We have a long way to go, but for as long as you guys are still here, then I will be too! :) Also, as a half-announcement, and half-disclaimer-in-advance: I'm actually pregnant again, and have been for some time. I don't feel comfortable giving out more information than that at the moment (because Internet), but if I'm just suddenly GONE for a few months or something, that's why. I'm going to do everything I can to keep chapters coming out in a reasonably timely manner, but just... you know. Be warned. I might need to take a break at some point, but if/when that happens, I *WILL* be returning ASAP! Please don't freak out! ;)

Anyhoo. Thank you, THANK YOU to everybody who's read and reviewed, thank you for an amazing eight years, and I can't wait to see what the future (and especially near future) holds!

~NNT:)

To Guest Reviewer 18419: If you're still here, could you please contact me? You said something in your review back in chapter 74 (yes, back in 2020!) that summarized a lot of what I'm been trying to say SO well that I'd really love to get your permission to straight-up put your words into Elsa's mouth. I really hope to hear from you!

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98: THE LAST HELP

Elsa froze, every muscle in her body tensing as her ears focused in on the scream. It was familiar. In fact, the voice was too familiar.

Anna?

Her eyes bulged, her blood running cold as her breath caught in her throat. Her sister. Her pregnant sister.

ANNA!

His eyes wide as well, Prince Frederik had scrambled to his feet. "Is that—!?"

Hardly even sparing him a glance, Elsa shoved past the prince, breaking into a run.

Her heart pounded in her ears as her high-heeled footsteps clicked in rapid succession against the frost-covered cobblestones, the gripping feeling of panic rising in her as a wave. Anna. She had left Anna. And now—!

A pair of guards leapt to get the doors to the ballroom as they saw her coming, and Elsa burst in, accompanied by a gust of the freezing Christmas Eve air. The ballroom was practically in chaos, the crowd somehow both parting and clustering as confused and worried and excited conversations all piled on top of one another, everyone staring at someone stooped over on the side of the room.

Prince Frederik ran in behind her, coming to her side. Her heart pounding, Elsa almost stepped forward when she suddenly heard a familiar, telltale sound gaining on them from behind.

Clop-clop clop! Clop-clop-CLOP! CLOP-CLOP CLOP—!

"MOVE!" bellowed a voice.

Queen Elsa gasped and leapt to the left, instinctively shoving Frederik back as her reindeer-astride brother-in-law suddenly went thundering past them at a full gallop. Accompanied by more gasps and squeaks of surprise for those unfortunate enough to be standing close by, King Kristoff and Sven suddenly crouched down and then bounded into the air, sailing over the refreshments table and sending a number of platters crashing and banging into the ground as a waited carrying an enormous silver tray of drinks lurched back to get out of the way.

CLANG!

The edge of the drink tray whacked directly into Prince Frederik's mouth, sending one of the prince's front teeth flying into the crowd as the unfortunate waiter stumbled to catch the platter. With a strangled squeak, Frederik's hands flew to his face.

"Prince Frederik!" Elsa gasped, whirling around, "Your TOOTH! It's—"

"Hhhugh!"

The Prince's eyes bulged as he felt at his mouth in horror. Elsa turned and saw that the waiter's face had gone white, his own mouth hanging open in shock.

"You!" she ordered, "Find his majesty's TOOTH!"

The waiter startled, then straightened. "Yes, your majesty!" he blurted, spinning around and diving into the crowd, grateful for the direction in the mortifying moment.

"And—and for you," Elsa started again, spinning back to Frederik and pulling his handkerchief from his pocket.

Whoosh!

The snowball swept into existence in the pristine white cloth as the Fifth Spirit twirled her hand over it, settling as she frantically bundled the handkerchief around it into a makeshift ice pack.

"For the swelling," she instructed, whapping it into his hand and then moving his hand to his cheek.

Before Frederik could respond, Elsa spun around and ran.

The crowd parted for her despite the chaos, having hardly even filled in again the line where Kristoff and Sven had ridden through. Her heart pounding, Elsa ran across the ballroom, sucking in her breath in horror to see the redheaded young queen holding her stomach with one arm, while being supported by Rapunzel with the other.

"Anna!" Elsa exclaimed, rushing to her side.

King Kristoff was leaping off of Sven at the same time, landing with a THUD and into a full sprint. Falling to his knees, he slid the last few feet to her, scooping his wife up into his arms as Rapunzel stepped back.

"This is it," Anna was gasping, "Oh, this was definitely it—"

"—Someone call the midwife!" Rapunzel yelled.

"I'm getting Anna out of here," Kristoff said, readjusting his grip as he cradled her in his arms.

Queen Anna smiled weakly, her cheeks flushed pink. As she relaxed into her husband's broad chest, leaning her head against it, Elsa nodded. "Yes," she agreed, "I'll be up as soon as I can."

Kristoff didn't even nod as he spun around, pacing faster than she'd ever seen him do before from the ballroom. Taking a deep breath, the Snow Queen then straightened to address the crowd.

"Thank you all for coming!" she announced, a hush sweeping over the space, "But it appears that Queen Anna can no longer continue to attend, and I will be going to make she she's alright. The party is ov—!"

Just before the word could tumble from her mouth, Queen Elsa abruptly stopped talking. Her eyes widened, the idea hitting her in an instant.

Spinning around, she ran to her cousin. "Rapunzel!" she gasped.

Rapunzel's eyebrows lifted, her wide green eyes filled with concern. "Yes? What is it?"

Grasping her hands, Elsa leaned in close to her face. "You're a princess!" Elsa exclaimed on a whisper.

A look of confusion swept over Rapunzel's features. "…Yes?"

"So, you've hosted royal events before?"

"I—!"

All of a sudden, Princess Rapunzel's enormous green eyes lit up with comprehension. She gasped, nodding.

"Yes!" she whispered excitedly, "Yes! I have!"

"So, you could take over for—"

"—Of course, Elsa!"

Letting out all the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, Elsa closed her eyes for a moment, awash with relief. Smiling, she turned from her cousin, once again drawing herself up to face the ballroom full of people.

"The Christmas Eve Ball is going to continue as planned," Queen Elsa announced, her voice carrying easily over the now-hushed crowd. "My cousin, the visiting Princess Rapunzel of Corona, will be taking over my duties as hostess for the remainder of the evening. Thank you for your patience, and have a Merry Christmas Eve!"

After a few moments—her revised announcement sinking in—the tense hush over the crowd began to dissipate, whispers, and then relieved conversations hesitantly starting up again among the dozens and dozens of guests. The Snow Queen then turned back to the head butler, Kai, and the number of servants who had gathered behind him, waiting for further instructions.

"I leave Princess Rapunzel in charge," Elsa instructed, just loud enough so that the staff could hear. "All non-emergency questions and concerns will go to her."

Getting confirmation in the form of nods, smiles, and yes, your majesties, the Fifth Spirit once again let out her breath, nodding with approval at the new situation. Glancing back to her cousin, she saw a beaming Princess Rapunzel give her a thumbs-up.

Despite the stress, Elsa felt her own face break into a smile as well. Hearing the lively music from the band starting up again behind her, the Snow Queen then anxiously spun around and sprinted from the room to find her sister.

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Kristoff, pacing in frustration, had not yet noticed that Jack Frost was standing in the shadows behind the room's grand hearth, leaning against the wall and feeling unusually awkward.

"A false alarm," the Commoner King was muttering to himself in furious disbelief, "You—this was a false alarm. I knocked over a table for a false alarm."

"You didn't knock over the whole table," Queen Anna corrected.

Scooping up another mouthful of ice cream from the literal bucket that she had resting on her stomach, the Ice Powers Girl's little sister then put it into her mouth, glancing up in Jack's direction from where she lay reclined on the chaise lounge. Fiddling with his staff, its end in the plush carpet at his feet, the Spirit of Winter broke off eye contact, swallowing hard.

"False alarms aren't entirely uncommon, your highness," the midwife told the Kristoff, giving him a reassuring nod. "In fact, feeling 'practice' contractions for a few weeks before the baby actually comes is actually considered to be completely normal for—"

"—Giving me a HEART ATTACK!" he gritted, spinning on her.

The midwife abruptly stopped talking, closing her eyes. Giving Kristoff a little bow and then straightening back up, the portly little woman the shot a knowing look at Anna.

Queen Anna nodded, restraining from a smile. "You are excused," she said. "Thank you for your service."

"As long as you are feeling alright, your majesty," she replied carefully.

BANG!

The door to the room flew open, a gust of freezing air sweeping in from the hall. A few snowflakes of anxiety dancing in before her, the Snow Queen then came rushing through.

Jack's heart jumped at the sight of her. Her face flushed and her eyes frantic, the Ice Powers Girl still looked absolutely beautiful to him. She was across the room in an instant, running to her sister's side as the midwife bowed again, quietly leaving the room. "ANNA!"

As Elsa came to a stop by the chaise lounge—seeing the ice cream, and her little sister casually relaxed beneath it—a wave of confusion swept over Elsa's face. Anna shrugged, and adjusted herself on her hips.

"False alarm," she explained.

Jack took a silent step forward, his heart racing. Queen Elsa was still turned away from him, slightly bent over the couch as she fussed over her sister, and his eyes snagged onto the navy hood draped down her back, following the shape of the familiar-looking fabric down to the Ice Powers Girl's hips.

Manny, his hoodie had never looked so good.

Giving his head a quick shake, Jack looked back up, Elsa's sweet face partially obscured by her hair from the angle. Seeing her concern over her sister, his heart swelled with affection for the Snow Queen.

"False… false alarm?" Elsa squeaked, staring at her sister in confusion.

She nodded, plunging her spoon into the bucket of ice cream resting on her stomach. Sticking it back into her mouth—and then pausing—she looked back up.

"I brought more spoons," Anna offered, gesturing.

"Yeah," Kristoff snorted, "No big deal. Just thought we were about to have a BABY, and all…"

Queen Anna watched her husband as he slunk away, coming up to the mantle and leaning against it to stare into the fire. She grimaced—an expression of both affection and guilt, over Kristoff's apparent anguish.

"Kristoff?" Anna asked quietly, "Would you like to go take a walk?"

"I—!"

He looked back to her. Opening his mouth and then closing it again, Kristoff's cheeks flushed.

With reluctance, he nodded.

"A walk," he muttered, kicking at the carpet, "That—yeah. That would probably be good…"

Anna nodded. "It's alright, sweetie."

His shoulders still drooping, the Commoner King turned and trudged from the room. Looking quite worried herself—and for entirely different reasons—Elsa took a tiny step back.

"So…" she started again, "Everything… is normal? Then?"

Anna opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it again. She glanced to Kristoff, who was opening the door and stepping out to where Sven the reindeer was waiting for him the hallway.

Ca-CHUNK.

It swung shut behind him.

Alone once again, Anna looked back and gave her sister a little shrug, biting her lip against a smile.

"I wouldn't quite say that," she admitted.

Taking in a deep breath, Jack shouldered his staff. This was it. It was time. The anxiety gripped him like a vice as the Snow Queen's little sister pulled in a careful breath as well.

"There's someone here to see you," Anna whispered.

Elsa paused, her back straightening as Anna's eyes flicked over towards where Jack was standing, then meaningfully looking back into her own. Taking that as his cue, the Guardian of Fun shouldered the staff and stepped out of the shadows from behind the hearth just as the Ice Powers Girl turned around.

The Fifth Spirit abruptly sucked in her breath as she caught sight of him, her eyes bulging. Jack froze, and a moment later—the Ice Powers Girl apparently frozen as well—he watched as Elsa's gaze shifted down to his outfit, her mouth falling open with shock.

As she stood there in silence, wordlessly taking him in, Queen Elsa's expression started to soften. Something lighting up like a flame deep within her eyes, the Fifth Spirit's breath escaped from her lips with a soft hah, her face melting into a dreamy, vacant expression as she stared, gazing with longing at the Spirit of Winter like she was literally unable to look away.

The Ice Powers Girl… was ogling him.

Jack's eyebrows lifted at the realization. A smirk tugging at the edge of his mouth, he instinctually stood up a little straighter, his chin lifting of its own accord as he moved his free hand onto his belt buckle. The Guardian was just opening his mouth to speak, as—

"Why… yes, Elsa," Queen Anna's voice drawled, her amused tone barely veiling a chuckle. "Mr. Frost does clean up well… doesn't he?"

Elsa jolted, snapping back into the moment. Her mouth falling open, she glanced to her sister, and then back to Jack, her cheeks flushing crimson. "I—!"

She cut herself off, blushing harder. Jack just smiled.

"I like your dress," he offered, giving it a tiny nod.

"Thanks," she breathed. After a moment, her eyes slowly wandered back down to his body, "I… like yours too…"

Her voice trailed off. As the glazed-over expression returned to her face, Jack waited, restraining from a grin as he once again thumbed his belt.

"CLOTHES! I mean—um," Elsa stammered, her cheeks burning, "This. Your outfit. You look—heh—"

She nodded, awkwardly gesturing while cutting herself off. Swallowing with effort, she then pulled in a shaky breath.

"You look nice," Elsa whispered.

Suddenly looking extremely shy, the Snow Queen bit her lip, crossing her arm over her stomach to hold onto her opposite elbow with her hand. She could hardly look at him, her cheeks crimson in embarrassment.

Jack's heart melted, its remains practically dripping through his ribcage to pool into a puddle at his feet.

His smirk relaxing into a sheepish smile, the Guardian walked towards her, shifting his fingers on the staff. He pulled in a deep breath.

"It's still early afternoon over in the Americas," Jack started carefully. "A lot of kids are still in school."

Her whole body tense, Elsa hesitantly looked up, still rubbing her hand over her opposite elbow. He took another step towards her.

"There's something magical about a Christmas Eve snow," the Guardian added.

She stopped rubbing her arm, a confused expression sweeping over her face. Then—realizing what he was saying—Elsa's mouth broke into a smile, and she nodded, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

The Snow Queen turned and looked back to her sister, as if silently pleading for permission. Seeing her expression, Anna smiled, once again having to restrain from a laugh.

"Elsa—I'm fine. Everything's fine," she reassured her. "And if the Ball is cancelled, then you should be free to go. As long as you guys have fun, right?"

Jack's heart leapt, and he found himself nodding as he looked to Elsa. To his surprise, she was shaking her head.

"Oh… um, no," Elsa admitted, "The Ball wasn't canceled. It's still going on. I just left Rapunzel in charge."

"You left Rapunzel in—"

Anna's voice trailed off, her eyes widening. After a few moments, she gave her head a quick shake, looking proudly up at her sister. "Now, why didn't I think of that?"

"It seemed like the right thing to do."

"So… in that case," Anna clarified, her left eyebrow twitching upwards, "The Ball is completely taken care of?"

Elsa bit her lip, looking worried. "But—" Her cheeks flushed. "But would Rapunzel be okay—I mean, I don't want to just dump this event on her, when—"

"—Rapunzel would be fine with it. I promise. Especially if she knows that it's because you were able to go off with Jack."

"How could you know tha—"

Elsa abruptly stopped talking. Her face going pale, her eyes widened.

"Wait," she choked, "Anna—this false alarm—was this actually just—?"

The pregnant young queen dug her spoon into the bucket of ice cream again, not answering. Sticking the spoon in her mouth, and clearly trying not to appear smug, she then gave Elsa another casual shrug.

"Don't worry about it," she said.

Jack didn't miss the mischievous glint in Anna's eyes as she stuck the spoon into her mouth, savoring it.

"Elsa… it's okay," Anna laughed, giving her sister a good-natured nod and gesturing with her spoon. "Go. Rapunzel and I have got this."

At a loss for words, Elsa twisted her fingers against each other, still looking anxious. Glancing longingly at Jack—and then back to her sister—a few snowflakes started to materialize from above her out of the air.

"I'm fine, Elsa," Queen Anna assured her again. "And Arendelle is, too. For as far as anyone will find out, you'll have spent the rest of the evening taking care of me. You two just make sure to get back to the castle before tomorrow morning, and no one will be the wiser."

Queen Elsa opened her mouth, and closed it. Then—a hesitant smile creeping across her features as she looked at her sister in gratitude—she blushed, shyly turning towards Jack and giving him a hopeful nod.

The Guardian's heart leapt.

Smiling uncontrollably, Jack Frost tossed his staff into his left hand and reached into his pants pocket. Easily finding the smooth disc inside, he then pulled it out, the full, ornate snowglobe instantly springing up to its full size in his palm.

Her breath catching, Elsa took a tiny step forward, examining the beautiful workmanship. "A snowglobe?" she asked.

She looked up into his gaze, her deep blue eyes huge and innocent. Jack's heart whumped once again.

"Yeah," he said, starting to swirl it in his hand with care. "A magic snowglobe."

One… two… three.

Elsa's eyebrows lifted in curiosity as he finished the last swirl. The snowglobe began to sparkle, and taking a deep breath, Jack Frost lifted it up to his lips.

"Armonk, New York," he murmured.

The colors shifted. With a grin, he then looked back up, seeing Elsa, and then her sister far behind her on the chaise lounge.

Jack turned around and threw the snowglobe.

WHOOOOSH!

Both of the women both gasped as the portal magically exploded into being before them in the center of the room, the enormous disc of swirling colors bursting out of nowhere as the snowglobe vanished. Hearing the familiar sounds of the wind rushing through it, Jack turned back to face the incredible Ice Powers Girl, shifting his fingers on the staff.

"So—um," he laughed nervously, "If—if you want to—?"

He gestured towards his neck with his free hand, then holding out his arms to pick her up. With a nod, Elsa reverently put her arms around his shoulders, linking her hands together at the nape of his neck. After a brief moment of hesitation, with his own hands trembling a bit, Jack then gave himself a little shake, bending down and scooping the Snow Queen up into his arms.

He glanced to Queen Anna, his eyes meeting hers. She gave him a nod, her expression suddenly dead serious.

This is it, Frost, her face seemed to say. This is the last help that I can truly give you.

Jack nodded back with solemnity.

He would make Anna's efforts worth it.

Restraining from running his thumb along the skin of Elsa's leg as he turned and walked them over to the whooshing whirlwind of colors, stopping just in front of the portal—Manny, it felt incredible to be holding her again—the Spirit of Winter drew in a long, careful breath, looking down into her eyes.

"You might want to hold on tight, your majesty," he whispered. "This can be—a bit of a rush."

Queen Elsa nodded in response, obediently tightening her hold around his neck and leaning her head against his chest. Jack tightened his grip on her as well, his heart leaping as he protectively pulled her body in closer to his own.

The Guardian of Fun then silently turned around, and tipped the two of them backwards into the portal.