Dr. Elsa Winter paused outside the door to the log cabin. I should never have agreed to this, she thought. Taking a deep breath she finally entered the classroom. It was like a small auditorium, with a podium and projector screen in the front and small tables arranged in a semi-circle around the room.

"Sit anywhere you like for now" a large man with bushy red hair and a beard called out.

Elsa took a seat in the back and watched her classmates stream in. Eventually her watch read two o'clock and the bearded man appeared ready to get started.

"Hi, I'm Daniel Oaken, professor of social work at Arendelle University. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you all to the first ever conference on the Broward-Trapper approach to working with children with trauma. All of you are here because you are professionals who work, or have a desire to work with, children who are victims of trauma, abuse or neglect. My colleagues and I have put together this course for persons such as yourself to teach you some of the skills and techniques we have refined over the years. During the duration of this program you will be staying here at Camp Arendelle. I will warn you that some of the work we do may be difficult and many of you may find yourself outside of your comfort zone. Our goal is to help you empathize with and relate to the children in your care. Please understand that everything that we do here has a purpose, although if you feel you cannot participate at any time please talk with one of us. And now, I would like to introduce my esteemed colleagues, Dr. Kai Broward and Dr. Gerda Trapper."

"Thank you Daniel. Hello everyone, I'm Kai Broward, professor of psychiatry at Arendelle University and co-developer of the Broward-Trapper approach to working with traumatized children. Dr. Trapper and I have been developing our techniques over the last two decades and this conference will hopefully be the first of many. Now let me introduce, Dr. Gerda Trapper." The portly man took a step back.

Dr Trapper was a thin woman in her fifties with a tight bun. She approached the podium and stared out at the class. "Hi, I'm Gerda. As Kai mentioned we have been working together for quite some time. I am a psychologist with a private practice here in New Hampshire and an associate professor at Arendelle University. Today you will be randomly assigned a partner. While there will be time spent here in the classroom much of your work will really take place with your partner. You will get to know each other quite well, and hopefully build trust and faith in one another. I have placed half of your names in this red bucket." Gerda held up a red children's sand bucket. "And Kai has the other half in his." Kai held up a blue bucket. "Once we call out each pair please find each other and sit at a table together."

Once again Elsa found herself wondering what she had gotten herself into. Well, forced into really. Her partners at the clinic had given her little choice. She could remember quite clearly the morning two months ago when she had arrived at work to find the brochure on her desk.

"What's the meaning of this?" She had asked Lauren and Dean during their morning coffee before office hours.

"It's a new conference. A course really. Being taught by two of the most well respected, accomplished child psychologists in the field." Dean answered.

"I know who Broward and Trapper are, I own all of their books. What was this doing on my desk?"

"Lauren and I thought it would be helpful for you to attend."

"No."

"Elsa, please. Just hear me out. We know you are a brilliant psychologist. That's why we agreed to open the clinic with you. There is no denying your knowledge, or your abilities as a researcher."

"I feel like there's a but coming."

"But, we aren't a research facility. We work with actual, live children. And to be frank, you could use a little help with that part."

"You think I'm bad at my job?"

"No no, we didn't say that. But there is room for improvement." Laura said.

Deep down Elsa had known they were right. She did have trouble relating to the kids. And adults.

"Elsa, to be honest, sometimes you come across as being kind of...cold."

"Fine. I'll go. But the first time someone wants a group sing-a-long i'm done."

Elsa snapped back to attention in time to hear the next name on the list being called.

"Kristoff Bjorgman." The young man at the table next to her stood up. He was tall with broad shoulders and thick blonde hair. Kai pulled a name out of his bucket.

"Hans West." A slim man with thick sideburns and an expensive suit approached Kristoff and they shook hands before sitting back down.

Gerda reached into her bucket again. "Elsa Winter" Elsa managed to stand up.

"Anna Johnson." Kai called.

Elsa saw movement at the front of the room. A woman with bright red hair was hurrying towards her. When the woman finally stopped Elsa noticed she had blue eyes and freckles and a dazzling open smile.

"Hi, I'm Anna."

"Elsa Winter." Elsa shook the woman's hand. They sat down next to each other and waited for Kai and Gerda to finish. Once everyone was re-seated Oaken began passing out packets.

"These are your handbooks. In here you will find information about your cabin assignments, dining times, and a schedule of each days events. This main cabin contains not only this auditorium, but the cafeteria and a lounge. Next I will pass out journals. These will be used to record your thoughts and feelings as the conference progresses. The information you write will be private so please be honest. Our first class begins tomorrow at nine a.m. We will give you all time to get settled into your cabins and then we'll see you at dinner."

"Look, we're both in cabin two." Anna pointed out.

Great, now if we hate each other we won't even get a break.

Everyone retrieved luggage from their cars and made their way to their respective cabins. It turned out there were four to a cabin, each one containing two sets of metal bunk beds, four lockers, and a restroom. Elsa eyed the bunks warily.

"What's wrong, never seen a bunk bed before?" Anna asked.

"I've seen them. Just never slept in one."

"Do you mind if I take the top bunk?"

"Not at all." Elsa was secretly relieved.

Anna enthusiastically climbed onto the top of one of the bunks and bounced a little. "This is just like summer camp."

"If you say so." Jesus, how old was woman? Who gets this excited about sleeping in some musty old cabin?

"That's because it is a summer camp." The door had swung open and the other two occupants drug their stuff inside. "Arendelle camp for troubled youth. It's funded by the university. I've had several kids go to camp here. I'm Danielle by the way, my husband and I are foster parents." The woman flung her bag on the other bottom bunk, before dropping her considerable weight onto the mattress. "Ugh, the heat is killing me. In two weeks school will be out for summer and this place will start the first session for summer camp." She wiped sweat off her brow.

"Wow, that's awesome." Anna said enthusiastically.

"I'm Sheryl, the other woman introduced herself. "I'm a counselor at a juvenile detention facility. I had to beg the state to send me here but hopefully it will be worth it."

Anna smiled at the pretty dark-skinned woman. "I'm sure it will be. I'm Anna, and this is Elsa. We're actually partners too this week."

"Well, that's convenient. Hope you can get a word in with this one, Elsa."

Anna blushed as she flipped through the handbook. "Hey look, a bonfire night. I wonder if there will be s'mores."

"How old are you?" Danielle asked.

Even though Elsa had just been wondering the same thing she was annoyed with the heavy set woman's tone of voice.

"Twenty-eight." Anna replied. The women made their beds and unpacked in silence for a few minutes.

"So, I think we should establish a few ground rules." Danielle announced.

"Like what?"

"Well, I need my beauty sleep, so lights off at nine. And i'm a christian woman, so no profanity. And I assume we're all straight here…"

"Wait, what?" Anna chimed in.

"You all look like nice heterosexual women but if you weren't maybe we would need some rules about bathroom usage."

"Well, uhm, I actually consider myself bisexual. Is that a problem?"

"I think it would be best if you would refrain from using the bathroom when the rest of us are in there showering or changing."

Sheryl was staring at the floor, clearly not sure what to do. Elsa flushed with anger. "Speak for yourself. I have no problem with Anna using the restroom whenever she wants. I don't think she would want to catch a glimpse of your naked body anyway, it might turn her off women altogether."

Danielle didn't' say a word, just walked out of the cabin, slamming the door behind her.

"Not one to hold back, are you blondie?" Sheryl chuckled.

"Actually, I usually do. I don't know what came over me, that woman just rubbed me the wrong way."

"For the record, I don't care about her stupid rules either. I just want to get along with everyone." Sheryl said.

"Thanks guys." Anna said. "I guess we should head to dinner."

Elsa found herself seated at a large table with Anna, Sheryl and the two men that had been at the table next to them that afternoon. Hans seemed familiar to her but she couldn't place why. She did notice that both men were enthralled with her red-haired partner.

"So, Kristoff," Anna asked, "What brings you here?"

"I'm a counselor for a boys group home. I don't have a degree or anything but I love working with the kids, even if it is hard sometimes. I grew up in foster care and most of the kids who pass through the group home will as well. I just want to be able to help them."

"Awww, that's so sweet, Anna cooed.

"When I was at Harvard, we had a guest speaker from one of those places once. Very informative." Hans spoke up.

"You went to Harvard?" Anna turned her attention to the red-haired man. That's where I know him from, Elsa thought.

"For medical school. Everyone in my family goes to Harvard. My father owns West Medical Center outside of Boston. My brothers all work there. I'm taking over as head of pediatric psychiatry."

"That's so great. Why did you take that as your speciality?"

"I have twelve older brothers, it's all that was left." The tabler erupted in laughter.

"What about you Anna?" Kristoff attempted to regain the woman's attention.

"Well, I'm an only child. Adopted actually. I've been with my family since I was two so they are all I can remember. I decided to major in social work because I wanted to help give other kids a happy ending. What about you Elsa?"

"The same as all of you. I came here hoping to learn from the experts. I have been studying the Broward-Trapper approach for years but I'm eager to see what the authors themselves have to say."

"What did you do after graduation?"

"I opened a private practice not far from here with two of my classmates."

"Wait, did you go to Harvard too?" Anna asked.

"Anna, meet Dr. Elsa Winter, top of her class at Harvard Medical School. I believe you also have a Master's in sociology correct?" Hans said with a flourish.

"A Ph.D. actually."

"You have a Phd. and an MD?" Sheryl asked. "How old are you?"

"Thirty." The table went silent for a few moments.

"So, do you two know each other?" Anna asked.

"Elsa was a couple of years ahead of me, but everyone knew the ice queen."

"The ice queen?"

"Just a stupid nickname." Elsa said quickly.

Back in the cabin Elsa settled into bed with a book.

"Would any of you ladies like to join me for a bible study?" Danielle asked. "I'm meeting my husband back in the cafeteria shortly."

"No thanks, some people are playing board games in the lounge." Sheryl replied.

"Hans asked me to take a walk with him." Anna mentioned.

"Handsome and rich."

No one asked Elsa what her plans were and that was just as well since she had no intention of leaving the comfort of her bunk.

The Journal of Elsa Winter:

I can't believe I actually came here. I should have known it was going to be a disaster. The last thing I want is to actually open up to and bond with a stranger. Trust? Yeah right. And of course one of the West brother's is here. Less than twenty four hours and he's telling everyone about that stupid ice queen thing. I will admit my partner doesn't seem too bad. She's definitely nice, although her taste in men is questionable. Hans. Ugh. That Kristoff kid seems way better. What do I know though? I don't know what came over me with Danielle either. I never say stuff like that. I insulted her weight! What kind of woman does that to another woman? I should probably apologize. I was angry though, about how she was treating Anna. I never jump to anyone's defense like that though. Except Lauren and Dean but it took me two years to even go out for coffee with them! This is why you conceal your feelings Elsa.

Anna's Journal:

I'm so excited to be here! I can't believe I'm actually here in this beautiful place, training with the foremost experts in the field. I can't wait to tell Mom and Dad. This is going to be so much fun! I am a little worried about my partner Elsa though. At first it seemed like she didn't like me very much but then she came to my defense when that homophobic bitch freaked out about the bathroom. I thought maybe she's into girls too, but she didn't say one way or the other. God she's hot though. I've never seen eyes like that in my life. But anyway, Hans asked me for a walk! Talk about handsome! Not as attractive as Elsa, but hey, you take what you can get. And he seems so charming too. I can't wait for tomorrow!