~Rapunzel and Eugene~
"Hello?" Eugene answered as the boys scrambled past him, both of them trying to be the first one outside. They giggled as they pushed one another as they both tried to open the sliding door. Eugene unlocked it and the door slammed open as they sprinted towards the playground.
"Hey, Eugene. It's Kristoff."
"Sup man." Eugene smiled, glad to hear from his old friend again. After the last few days, Eugene and Rapunzel hadn't heard from anyone. They mostly kept to themselves, trying to figure out how to deal with Zach's condition.
"Um, not much. Say, could I talk to Rapunzel?" Kristoff nervously asked. He hoped that this didn't sound too weird, but he really had to talk to her.
"Oh, sure. Let me just go get her," Eugene rambled as he headed towards the living room. This was sort of an odd request, but Eugene wasn't worried. Maybe Kristoff was just having second thoughts about this baby coming or something. "It's for you." He whispered, handing the phone to Rap.
"Hello?" She answered. She furrowed her eyebrows as Kristoff began rambling to her, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. "Wait, slow down," she stated as she handed Rosie over the Eugene. "You want me to what? I'll be over in a sec." She quickly answered as she shut off the phone.
"What was that all about?" He asked as Rapunzel quickly wandered about, grabbing all of her things.
"Kristoff needs me at their house. Anna left to go to the store and Kristen is just going insane and he doesn't know what to do. I'm taking the kids and I'm going to hope that this'll work." Rapunzel quickly explained. She stuck her head out the window and whistled for the boys.
"All of them?" Eugene asked. He figured she would at least take one kid, but all three? And she wanted to do this by herself? And he would be here all by himself without anyone to bother him? This would be kind of be nice.
"Yes, all of them," she quickly answered. She slung the baby bag over she shoulder and took Rosie from his arms again. "I don't know when I'll be back. Hopefully soon," she rambled. She pecked his lips before heading towards the door. "I love you!" She called.
xxx
"So you lost your job?" Rapunzel asked as they sat on Kristoff's deck, watching the kids play. Once Kristen saw children her age that she knew, she calmed down. It was almost as if she just needed someone who could understand her better.
"Ya." Kristoff replied, staring forward as he rubbed his hands together. This was so awkward to talk about. He didn't know why he got fired. He thought he was doing well for the business. Why would they get rid of him?
"That sucks," she softly replied, looking towards the ground. "But it's also a good thing." Rapunzel gently added, glancing up towards the blonde.
"How?"
"How?" She repeated. "Well, you get to spend more time with your kid before you get another one," she slowly answered. "I mean, I know Eugene would love to spend more time with the kids, but someone has to do the work and make money. It doesn't seem fair compared to how much time I see them."
Kristoff hummed and nodded his head. He did get to see Kristen now more than even. It was nice just to sit back and relax with his little girl. "I mean, it seems like just yesterday I had Bastian. Now I have two more." Rapunzel softly chuckled.
"It's crazy, isn't it? I mean, in less than two months, we're going to have another screaming baby in the house. Kristen probably won't like it at first-"
"I know she won't like it." Rapunzel smiled, cutting him off.
"But everything will work out. Kristen will adjust to having a little brother or sister. Hopefully I'll find another job and maybe Anna could stay at home with the kids. I mean, she loves working at the shelter, but I know she would rather be home with the kids, watching them grow." Kristoff finished as he watched the kids laugh and smile on their playground.
Rapunzel gave a soft smile, glad that he knew everything would work out. It always does. They were silent as they watched their children enjoy themselves. "So, what about you? Anything new since your trip?" Kristoff asked, trying to make small talk.
"Umm, well," Rapunzel mumbled as she ran her fingers through her blonde hair. She wasn't exactly sure how to answer that. Eugene and her hadn't talked about when they were going to tell everyone. "Do you promise not to tell?" Rapunzel quickly replied.
"What?"
"Do you promise not to tell?" She repeated.
"Umm, yeah. Yeah, I promise." Kristoff answered, nodding his head. Rapunzel let out a sigh and closed her eyes. She knew she could trust him, but she just didn't know how to tell him.
"Last week, we took Zach to the hospital," she slowly spoke, her green eyes still shut. "And well, we found out that he's got, that he's got," Rapunzel stuttered as she wiped her tears that began to trail from her eyes. "we found out that he's color blind." She finished.
Wow. That was a hard pill to swallow. How are you supposed to answer that? Rapunzel silently cried on the deck as Kristoff thought about what to do. Was he supposed to tell her it would be okay?
She left a gentle arm wrap around her shoulders and bring her close. She opened her eyes and looked up. "We'll always be here for you guys." He answered. She let out a gentle smile. This hug just made everything feel better. It was nice to know that someone would always be there for her family.
"Thank you." She softly replied.
~Elsa~
The phone began to ring just as Eugene fell asleep on the couch. Really? Two phone calls in one day? That was a shocker. He rolled off the couch and walked towards the phone. "Hello?" He groggily answered.
"Hey, is Rap there?" Elsa quickly asked.
"She left for a bit, why?" He fired back as he rubbed the sleep from his brown eyes. Man, being a parent really is tiring.
"Oh. Well, I just needed to talk to her. Call me when she gets home." Elsa commanded from the other line. Elsa had been thinking about this over and over again since Rapunzel and Eugene's trip to New York.
"Why can't you talk to me?" He questioned, as he ran his hands through his messed up hair. He let out a yawn, thinking about how comfortable that couch was. If he could just lay back down, maybe he could fall back asleep.
"Because this is a woman thing." She replied, crossing her arms across her chest. Eugene couldn't know about this stuff. He was all manly without any feelings and full of testosterone. There's no way he could relate to her right now.
"Then I'm perfect," Eugene quickly answered. Elsa scoffed, not believing him for a second. Eugene was perfect? "I was with tons of ladies before I met Rapunzel. I know the answers to all of your problems."
"I'm sure Rap would love to hear about your millions of girlfriends." Elsa smirked as she leaned against her desk. That had to shut him up.
"Don't tell her I said that," he quickly replied, making Elsa chuckle. There was no way that he could help her. Not a chance. "But seriously, come on, let me help you!" Eugene begged.
Elsa huffed as she thought about it. The worst thing that could happen is that he wouldn't know the answer. "Ughh, fine. I'll be over in fifteen minutes." Elsa replied then shut off her phone.
Eugene shrugged and hopped back onto the couch. He could cram in fifteen minutes of sleep. As soon as his head hit the couch pillow, he was out like a light.
xxx
The pounds on the door made him jump. He fell off the couch, landing on a toy. Eugene cursed under his breath as he rubbed his back. He mentally thanked Elsa as he headed towards the door. "Hey." She answered as she was about to knock again.
"Hi." Eugene replied, opening the door wider for her. She slowly walked in, the house bringing back memories. She wasn't sure how to feel about this place. This was were she got close with their children. This was where she got close to Jack.
"So, how have things been?" Elsa asked as she wandered through the house, looking at all of the new pictures. Did Eugene and Rapunzel update their pictures weekly or something?
"Um good I guess," he mumbled back as he followed her through the house. It was a little strange he had to admit, but it was good. He really couldn't remember the last time he even had a normal conversation with Elsa. "So, where would you like to talk?"
"Umm, anywhere is fine, really. Do you have a preferred spot?" She asked, turning around to look at him.
He led her towards the backyard. She was just about to sit on a chair when she watched him head for the stairs. He took a spot on the top, looking towards the playground. She followed suit, sitting beside him. "This is nice." She smiled.
"Ya, I guess," he replied, placing his elbows on his knees. He stared off, watching the sunset in the background. He loved watching the sunset. It was never the same. Tonight, it was more pink and purple. "So, what did ya need help with?"
"Hmm?" Elsa asked, her eyes lost in the sunset. "Oh, well, you're a guy and you're married. How do you know that this marriage is going to work out?" Elsa softly asked.
"To be honest, I don't. No one knows if their marriage is going to last, that's why you always have to work at it. You can't just spend one year on it and hope that it'll last for the next fifty years." He answered, slightly chuckling.
Hm. So far he was making sense. Why did she think that just one year would work for them? Was she stupid? You're constantly trying to build each other up in a marriage. You want what's best for each other. "How do you know that you love her? How do you know that she's meant for you?"
Eugene rubbed his goatee, thinking that question through. That was a little bit harder. "Well, I have no idea if she's meant for me," he answered. "But I know that I love her. I know that I love her because I would do anything for her in a heartbeat. I couldn't imagine my life without her."
"But what if you're just not compatible? What if those little rough patches you hit just drive you insane? How do you deal with knowing that maybe they don't love you back? What if you spend all this time into a marriage that doesn't even work? Shouldn't you just end it now? Won't you feel less heartbreak?" Elsa quickly questioned him. She had to know. She had to know how he could stand trying to make her love him even if it might not work.
"If we let fear and doubt alway shut people out, then the healing can never began and we'll never get the chance to let love in," he softly answered. "Elsa, take it from someone who knows, you just have trust each other. You have to tell each other everything and just let the chips fall where they may."
Elsa frowned and nodded her head. Jack wasn't some balance sheet. He was a person like her. She had to just let everything go and go with her gut. She glanced over at Eugene and watched him light a cigarette. "I thought Rapunzel broke you of your habit?"
"I never smoke with her or the kids around and I only do it when I'm feelin' really low." He softly answered. Curiosity began to tempted her. She had to know what he meant by that.
"What's got you so low?" Elsa asked, trying to sound casual.
Eugene thought about whether or not he should tell her. Elsa wasn't exactly very close with them, but she did just tell him most of her fears. "Recently, we took Zach in to the hospital up at Berk to get him checked out. Well, it turns out he's color blind."
"That's awful." She gasped.
Eugene slightly chuckled. "That's not the worst part. We found out that Rapunzel is the carrier and from somewhere down her family tree, she passed the trait onto Zach and there's a huge chance of her passing it onto Rosabella. For the past however many days, Rapunzel has been blaming herself for something she had no say in."
Elsa opened her mouth, then shut it again. She didn't know what to say. Eugene knew just as much as Elsa that Rapunzel shouldn't be blaming herself, but what could they do? She was going to do it no matter how many times she's told it's not her fault.
~Anna and Kristoff~
"I'm just going to go stop at the store. I'll be right back." Anna stated as she exited the house. From the street, she heard her little girl's cries. For some reason, for the last week, Kristen had been really clingy.
Anna hopped into her car and headed towards Berk. She wasn't going to the store. She had to go see one of her friends. She just had to talk about her chaotic life to somebody who wasn't her sister.
Eventually, she pulled into the parking lot. Slowly, she entered the hospital. Anna had been in hospitals before, but never one like this. It seemed recently updated and comforting.
Anna walked up to the desk, not sure what to really say. "Excuse me," She stated. "Did you happen to know the room number for Hiccup Haddock by any chance?" She asked, tilting her head.
"Name?" A nurse asked, glaring up at Anna with her green eyes.
"Uh it's Anna. Anna Bjorgman." She stuttered, intimidated by the plump nurse. The nurse tossed the sheet down and stood up, walking around the counter.
"Follow me," She commanded, waving her hand to have Anna follow. They quietly walked beside each other, both going at a slow pace. "So, when are you due?"
"Umm in less than two months." Anna replied, surprised. She never figured for this cranky nurse to notice anything, let alone actually talk to her.
"Know the gender?" The nurse smiled, looking up at Anna.
"Keeping it a surprise." Anna softly grinned as the woman gently opened the door. She held up her finger to her lips, signaling for Anna to be quiet.
Anna slowly entered the room, unsure what to expect. Elsa said she had been here but never wanted to come back. Anna knew she had to see Hiccup at least once. She had to be here for him.
The blonde turned around, almost glaring at Anna. "Oh, hi!" Hiccup greeted, sitting up in the bed. Anna gave a soft wave and walked closer to Hiccup. This didn't seem too bad. Hiccup looked well.
"Hi, Hiccup." Anna smiled, folding her hands over her stomach.
"You'll have to remind him of your name. He can't remember much." The blonde quickly snapped. Anna glared at her, her hormones starting to get the best of her. Anna didn't appreciate being talked to like a child.
"Hiccup, my name's Anna. I'm married to Kristoff, remember?" Anna gentle spoke, trying to ignore the blonde. She was going to be gentle with Hiccup, even though the woman beside him was a bitch.
"Name rings a bell, but I can't say that know anything about you. Kind of happens a lot nowadays." Hiccup smiled, making Anna slightly giggle. At least he still had his sense of humor.
"Hiccup was just about to take his power nap, weren't you?" The blonde quickly interrupted as she grabbed Hiccup's hand. Hiccup brushed her aside giving her a slight glare.
"Astrid, would you mind leaving me and..." Hiccup trailed, looking towards the redhead.
"Anna." Anna quickly answered.
"Me and Anna alone for a little while. I would like to get to know her," he finished. Astrid let out a groan and rolled her blue eyes. She stomped out of the room as Hiccup patted the chair beside his bed. "So how's it going?" He asked.
"Pretty good. Kristoff and I are expecting our second child soon, as you can tell." Anna smiled, motioning to her stomach. Hiccup tilted his head, looking at her bulging stomach.
"There's a little baby in there?" He asked, pointing to it in curiosity. Anna nodded her head as she placed her hands on her stomach. Hiccup must have forgotten everything. This was like experiencing life all over again.
"Would you like to feel the kicks?" She offered. Hiccup's green eyes light up as he nodded his head. Anna gently grabbed his hands and led them to her stomach. She watched as his eyes became starry and filled with excitement.
"There's a baby in there!" He cheered, looking up at her and back down at her stomach over and over again. He couldn't process how amazing that was in his head. Eventually, he moved his hands back and just laid in bed. That was the most entertainment he's had in weeks.
"So, Hiccup. Can I ask you for some advice?" Anna questioned, looking at the brunette. He nodded his head, his green eyes lighting up again. No one would ever think to ask him for advice.
"Yeah." He smiled, scooting closer to her. He wanted to be there for her, even though he just met her.
"Okay, so, it's okay if you don't know the answer," she started. He nodded his head, understanding. "Well, Kristoff was recently fired, and I know who did it, but I'm not sure if I should tell him."
Hiccup tapped his chin, thinking about his answer. This was the first real question he's been asked in a long time. "Well, who is it?"
"My ex, Hans," Anna explained. Hiccup scrunched his face, knowing that guy. He was a jerk to Anna. "Kristoff hates him too. Anyways, I was thinking about telling him, but if I do, Kristoff might just brush it off, which will be good, but if he gets upset, I have no idea what he'll do. We've dealt with Hans before and thought everything was over, but obviously it's not. What would you do?"
Hiccup looked into Anna's blue eyes, unsure what to say. Since his head wasn't sure what to do, he listened to his heart. "I would tell Kristoff. He deserves to know." Hiccup answered.
"Thank you!" Anna squealed, giving him her biggest hug. Hiccup happily smiled back, glad to help one of his friends. Maybe she would come back again.
~Merida and Hiccup~
"No, my name is Jack. Where are you getting Kristoff?" Merida heard in the hallway. Oh, so Jack was here. That was nice, that was good. That meant that Astrid wasn't in there because she can't stand Jack.
Merida slowly opened the door, looking at the two of them arguing. "Anna was here today." Hiccup declared, not noticing Merida entering the room. She stood in the corner, confused about what was happening.
"No, she wasn't. I've been here almost all day. She hasn't been here." Jack fired back. Who told Hiccup that Anna was here? Anna should have been back at home with Kristen and Kristoff, planning for the baby.
"Yes she-oh, hi." Hiccup stated, looking towards the door. Jack turned around, seeing Merida slowly walking towards them. She wasn't sure what to say. How did Hiccup know Anna?
"Merida." Jack slowly gasped. This was the first time seeing her in a week. She hasn't been coming during the day at all. Things just had to be crazy at her house.
"Hi, Jack. Hello, Hiccup." Merida smiled, taking a seat beside Jack. Hiccup looked between the two of them, unsure what to say. He knew who Merida was, but he just couldn't remember how he knew her.
"Merida, it's nice to see you again." Hiccup smiled. Merida smiled back, glad to hear him say her name. Sure, he didn't have the same memories as her, but it felt nice to hear her name come off his lips.
"How have you been?" She quickly asked, scooting closer to him.
"Good, I guess." Hiccup mumbled, looking down. Suddenly, the door opened. A nurse rolled her cart in, walking towards Hiccup.
"Sorry to break up your conversation, but Hiccup needs his rest. Come in about an hour and he should be awake." She smiled as she helped him get ready for bed. Sleep. That's all he does anymore. Do they really think that sleeping will help get his memory back?
"Bye, Hiccup." Jack and Merida stated together as the left the room. As soon as they got out into the hallways, Merida broke down crying as took a seat outside of his room, covering her face with her hands.
Jack slowly sat down beside her, unsure what to do. He really wasn't the best with emotional scenes. He gently patted her back, hoping that maybe this was helping. "He remembers me, but not the way I want him to." She softly cried.
"What do you mean? He answered to you with your first name. That's improvement!" Jack cheered, confused about what the big deal was. Hiccup was starting to remember her. That's good.
"He only remembers me from after the accident. He doesn't remember anything about the past. That's not improvement," She grumbled, wiping her nose. "I just don't know what to do anymore."
"But he said that Anna was here today. And he accidentally called me Kristoff. He has to be remembering some of the past. There's no way he would remember him if only Anna came." He argued. Merida snapped her head to look at Jack.
"But what good does that do me? I've been trying to get him to remember me since I was told he got in that damn accident! Great, he can remember Anna and Kristoff. Whoop-de-do," She fired back. Jack rose his eyebrows, surprised with her. "I'm sorry. It's just that Anna was here for what, five minutes maybe, and he can remember her but I've been here night and day and he can't remember me?"
"Maybe you're just going at it the wrong way." Jack replied, not being serious. He just wasn't sure what to say to her.
Merida sat up, thinking about it. "Yeah," she agreed. "Yeah!" She cheered, nodding her head. Jack's eyes widen, confused about what was happening.
"I'm right?"
"You're right!" Merida cheered, then slouched over. "But how will I change it up?"
Jack tapped his chin, thinking about how to change it up. "Have you showed him the episodes from the tv show?" He asked.
"What?"
"Have you showed him the episodes from the tv show?" Jack repeated, this time standing up. "If you show him the first year, maybe he'll remember. Maybe one of those episodes will trigger a memory and we'll get our Hiccup back!" Jack rambled.
"Jack! You're a genius!" Merida shouted bringing him into a huge bear hug. She rubbed her knuckles on his head, making him laugh and push her off. "Why didn't I think of this?" She exclaimed.
"Maybe because you're not as smart as me?" Jack offered as he tapped his head, a smirk present on his face.
"Or maybe it's because I'm not as dumb as you." She fired back. Jack rolled his eyes and she brought him into another hug. Tomorrow. Tomorrow she would show him the videos and maybe, just maybe, they would get their Hiccup back.
~~~~~~~~~~
Sorry for the slow update. I thought that once school ended that I would have more time to write. I was wrong. Honestly, I think I'm busier now than when I was in school. Anyhow, I hope I can update more this summer. Thanks for still sticking around and voting and commenting. See ya in the next chapter!