The KOTLC Family

Litz

Author POV:

Time flew by, and soon, Linh was 6 months pregnant.

Fitz POV:

There's something wrong with Linh. She's been throwing up left and right, and not only in the morning. As Fitz rubbed Linh's back as she expelled the contents of her stomach into the toilet bowl, he sighed, worried that there was more to this sickness.

"Do you want to try eating a cracker and some water?" Fitz asked gently, guiding Linh towards the master bedroom and helping her sit down.

Linh replied shakily with a faint nod of her head.

Fitz raised a graham cracker to Linh's mouth and watched as she nibbled at it slowly. After she finished the cracker, he carefully passed a glass of cold water to her.

"Drink it in small sips," he instructed. She nodded and down went the water.

"Do you feel better no-" Fitz didn't get to finish the sentence when Linh unexpectedly vomited all she had eaten onto him.

Linh gasped and lowered her head, "Fitz, I-I'm so sorry..."

Fitz whispered softly, "Shh, it's fine. I'm here. Let's get you to bed." Linh lay down on their bed and Fitz pulled the covers up for her. After changing out of his shirt, he sat down next to Linh, rubbing her back and stroking her hair, hoping to make her fall asleep.

"I love you, Linh. It hurts to see you in this state." Fitz murmured sadly, wiping the sweat of Linh's face.

Linh turned and replied weakly, "Fitz, I-I really don't know what's happening to me. Do you think our baby is okay? I'm scared..."

Fitz rubbed her swollen belly gently,  "I promise, Linh. Everything will be okay. Just get some sleep now."

Linh nodded and managed a small smile, "Thanks, Fitz. I love you." She rolled over and soon, her breathing became even and slower.

Fitz let out a sigh of relief as he pulled up the covers for Linh even further and kissed her on the temples before getting up--he needed to make a call.

He turned off the lights in their bedroom and closed the door as softly as he could.

As soon as he entered the living room, he hailed the person whom he needed the most right now.

"Biana, there's something I need to ask you."

   *time skip*

"Hmmm, Linh's been feeling nauseous and throwing up even in the night? That's strange. I recommend the raspberry tea that mom makes with ginger as it helps to settle the stomach. You could also try lemon water. Try to dehydrate her." Biana rattled off, listing the options.

Fitz nodded and replied, "Thanks, B. I'll try that."

Biana waved goodbye to him, "No problem Fitzy. I hope Linh feels better. Bye!"

As he ended the call, Fitz hurried back into his bedroom, and was surprised to find Linh awake.

"Linh? I thought you were asleep...? Are you feeling better?" He asked immediately.

Linh didn't reply, and only when Fitz turned on the lights did he realise how pale she was.

"I'm feeling cold, and I think I'm going to be sick..." Linh shivered. Fitz dropped his Imparter and carried Linh bridal style to the bathroom without hesitation. His heart ached as he watched Linh throw up into the toilet bowl. Again. As he reached out to brush a strand of Linh's hair away from her eyes, his fingers brushed against her forehead. He frowned when it felt hot. 

"I'm sorry, Linh." He patted her back rhythmically. "But there's something that may help you." He led her to the kitchen and dug in the cupboards until he found the tea bag for his mother's signature raspberry tea. Lowering the tea bag into a cup of hot water, Fitz took out the ginger and cut a few slices before putting it into the tea. After waiting for the ginger to fully melt and dissolve into the tea, Fitz raised the cup to his mouth, sipped it and ensured that it wasn't too hot but warm. Perfect. He then lifted the cup to Linh and slowly poured the tea down her throat.

Linh POV:

As the warm tea went down her parched throat, Linh felt better. Much better. The ginger was spicy, and yet it was just what Linh needed. Her stomach no longer did backflips. Well, at least not so much. She felt less nauseous but still cold.

"Feeling better now?" Fitz asked, concerned.

Linh took a deep breath, "Yeah. I think the tea worked wonders. But I still feel kind of cold..." Upon hearing that, Linh saw Fitz's face light up, then fall again. 

Fitz immediately walked to the bathroom and took a clean towel, rinsed it with cold water and made it into a cool compress. He led Linh back to their bedroom and gave her an extra blanket before gently patting the compress onto her forehead.

The couple lay down with Fitz's arm around Linh and her large baby bump protectively. Soon, they fell asleep peacefully.

     *next morning*

Linh POV:

Linh blinked, shaking the blurry corners out of her eyesight. The room came into view, but as she admired the morning sun, she felt a stabbing ache in her stomach, reminding herself why she was woken up. Linh groaned, clutching her stomach. Sour bile rose up her throat, and she gagged. 

"Linh? What's wrong?" Fitz, who was sleeping beside her, rubbed his sleepy eyes and asked. 

"I'm having a re-really bad stomachache...I feel like throwing up again...why didn't the tea work?"

Fitz immediately sat up and held Linh's hand in his. "Come on Linh, let's go to see Elwin. I think he's the only one who can help you."

Linh nodded weakly, and let Fitz wrap her arm around his shoulder, supporting her to his car. He drove off for the Healing Centre without hesitation.

As soon as they arrived, Fitz parked, hopped off the car, and carried Linh up, bringing her into the centre. 

"What brings you two lovebirds here again? Is the baby doing okay?" Elwin teased when he saw Linh and Fitz. However, his smile faded when they did not return it. 

Linh explained the situation to Elwin, and he said, "I'm going to go get my stuff, wait here, 'kay?" He rushed off into the next room.

Fitz asked, "Should I call Tam and Biana?" while whipping out his Imparter. Linh nodded and straightened herself on the cot. 

"Tam?" Linh said when Fitz passed the Imparter to her. Her twin picked up on the first ring, and his silvery-blue eyes lit up when he saw Linh.

"Hey Linh, how are you?" Tam smiled, a rare occasion which was usually reserved for Biana or her. However, his smile soon dropped at the edges when he focused on Linh's face. 

He frowned, "Linh, you look so pale! And are you in the Healing Centre? Are you okay? I'm coming!" He hung up, and exactly 1 minute later, a bright light flashed which Tam ran out from.

"Linh!" He knelt down next to her cot. "You okay? What happened?" 

Linh whispered the story into his ear, and by the time she was finished, her twin's eyebrows were scrunched up in concern and worry. 

"Don't worry Linh, Elwin can surely fix it." He assured her, patting her back.

Fitz nodded, "Speaking of Elwin, he's back." 

Elwin placed a huge tray of vials next to Linh and snapped, flashing a glowing red orb around her stomach. He switched the colours a few times, and with every passing second, frowned deeper and deeper. There was not only worry in his expression, but also confusion. 

After what felt like an eternity, Elwin finally straightened up. Fitz and Tam immediately asked, "What's the diagnosis?" 

Elwin hesitated, as if he didn't know how to phrase the news.

"I'm gonna just tell the brutal truth, okay?" When all 3 agreed, he said to Linh, sighing.

"I detected the presence of shadowflux in your stomach.