Tangled After The Series - There's No Such Thing As 'The End'

Chapter 8: A special gift

     The medic had insisted that only Eugene stayed in the room with Rapunzel and her. She had come as soon as Pete and Stan had turned up at the infirmary with a message from the King. The sun was almost completely sunk beneath the horizon when Doctor Marie started packing up her belongings. She hadn't said anything and neither of them had asked, leaving her to do her job. Eugene had laid Rapunzel on her bed and sat beside her, holding her hand.

     "Why didn't you tell me Blondie?" Eugene asked, stroking his thumb against the back of her hand.

     "I didn't want to make you more unhappy." Rapunzel played with a loose thread on her skirt, "I know, it sounds pathetic, I'm so sorry." Tears began to creep down her face once more.

     "And just h-how did...Varian and Cassandra know?"

     "It happened on Cassandra's first day back, when we were out in the woods. I made them promise not to say anything, don't be mad at them too,"

     "No, hey, Sweetheart," Eugene cupped her face with his hands and wiped away those tears, "I'm not mad at you," he hugged Rapunzel and sighed. "I was just scared, I still am. I didn't know what was happening or what to think. You mean everything to me Rapunzel, I couldn't bear to see you in harm's way."

     "Your highnesses." Rapunzel and Eugene sat and listened to what Doctor Marie had to say. "Everything is quite easily explained. Your dizziness is caused by a rise in blood pressure which is extremely common for...this diagnosis. It just affects some people more than others. The headaches are just a follow on from the dizziness."

     Rapunzel had told the medic everything while she ran various tests. Cassandra, Varian, and her parents anxiously waited outside.

     "Ok." Eugene stood up from the bed.

     "The nausea is also extremely common, nothing to worry about, just something that you will have to put up with through this I'm afraid,"

     "And what is this?" Eugene asked.

     The medic picked up her bag and smiled. "I believe congratulations are in order Mr and Mrs Fitzherbert."

*~*~*

     Cassandra leaned against the wall beside the door outside, biting her nails. Varian too leaned against the wall beside her, Fredrick and Arianna stood at the opposite side of the hallway.

     "What's taking so long?" Cassandra muttered.

     "She's going to be ok," Varian comforted.

     Suddenly, a thud sounded from inside the room. Cassandra and Varian jumped up in alarm. Doctor Marie walked out a second later.

     Cassandra grabbed her arm. "What's happening?"

     "It's their news to tell," was all she said before walking away.

    Cassandra grunted before rushing into the room, Varian and the King and Queen behind her.

*~*~*

     "Eugene?" Rapunzel scrambled down from her bed.

     "Ow! Ok. That hurt." Eugene had fallen onto the floor and was propping himself up on his elbows. "Why did I stand up? Why didn't I stay sitting down? Or at least pull up a chair? That was stupid." He pushed himself up using Rapunzel's bed. He began pacing across the middle of the room, Rapunzel stood at the end of her bed beside the ottoman. Cassandra and the other decided to keep their distance and stand just inside the door. "Well that was unexpected," Eugene went on to say, "Let me take a minute to collect myself. Oh mama!"