Memories [OUAT/Helsa]

Realization

Storybrooke
Present Day

"I'm not in the mood for this."
She knew he would be looking for her, it was a nature that she has learned to acknowledge that was part of her dear husband, she just never thought Emma would actually help him.

Her arm was caught in the Savior's grip when she tried to walk away. "But you want to hear this, trust me."

There was a sigh that came from her, sounding almost tired even to herself, as she cradled her stomach. "Well whatever it is, it has to wait until we get to the Loft." She told them, though she refused to directly look at Hans. "I'm really, really tired right now, Emma."

"Are you alright?" The concern in his voice was so clear, and for a short moment there was a part of her that wished that she could just lean her weight onto him, to shoulder her tiredness together.

But she stopped herself.

Instead she brushed him off by walking passed him, ignoring him entirely.

It hurt him, broke his heart even, she knew it. And after all the care and attention he has given her, she knew it was unfair. But her own heart still ached from the betrayal that he has done to her, his ignorance to tell her even when he knew how much she loved her kingdom.

Taking off her jacket as she stepped into the Loft, she caught his stare at her, or if she followed his gaze correctly, at her stomach.

"You look bigger." Was what came from him.

With a roll of her eyes, irritation clear in her face, she hung her outer wear on the cloak hanger. "Fat. That is the word you're looking for."

"No Elsa, I'm serious." Hans grabbed her by the hand, making her turn back to face him. "Your stomach is bigger than last night." His eyes moved to Emma then, who had been standing and watch their exchange. "Emma-"

"What? You want me to check on her? Sure." The Savior approached then, wringing her fingers as she returned the look Elsa gave with a shrug. It wouldn't hurt to just check, to satisfy Hans' curiosity.

Her green eyes however, widened in surprise when her hand was placed over the growing stomach and the pulse of her magic was met with one coming from within. "Okay, maybe we should call Regina."

----

"Dark magic." Was Regina's statement as she pulled her hand away from the Arendelle's Queen belly. "Surprised you couldn't tell, it's similar to what you've done to Zelena, just slower." Her gaze had turned to the Savior then, one eyebrow raised in question.

Elsa was at loss of word, frowning as her mind attempt to process what has been said by the Mayor. The conversation around her was muted as she pressed a hand on the underside of her belly where now she could also began to notice that it was indeed growing in a much faster rate than normal.

Hans' hands wrapped around her upper arms, yet she didn't even glare at him as he guided her to sit down on the couch behind her. Sitting beside her, he took her hands in his, and she didn't even flinch or pull her hands back. "Elsa..."

She thought she had more time, moments she could enjoy with her unborn child, a normal and healthy pregnancy.

She had wished too far, it seemed.
"When will I be in labor?" The question that came from her was directed at the two women who stood there conversing, eyes casted upward to look at them.

"At this rate, the morning, top." Regina answered, hands running over the non-existence crease on her pencil skirt. "But this kind of magic is unpredictable. It can get faster or slower, we'll never know for sure."

"You're telling me that instead of four months, the length of the pregnancy will now be less than a day?" Hans questioned, and her hands squeezed his in reaction. "Can't you slow it down?"

With a shake of her head, Regina sighed. "There's no way, not even the Savior here have enough magic power to do so."

Elsa was afraid, Emma could see it in her eyes, the way she held on to the hands of the man she had despised not long ago, how her lips were drawn into a thin line. "Hey," her call drawn the Arendellian's attention toward her. "You can get some rest on Snow's bed, you won't like it to have to climb down the stairs later, trust me."

"Elsa, what did you eat this morning?"
Her blue eyes darted toward the dark haired woman. "I ate pancakes made by David, here with Emma and Snow."

"What else did you do today? Did you eat or drink anything?"

Her brows furrowed as she thought back to her day. "I went to for a check up at the Hospital and drink a glass of water there."

"Whale? He did this?"

"I don't think he would do that, Regina." Emma shook her head, arms crossed over her chest. "He would never, and besides he has no reason to."

"It wasn't Whale." Shaking her head, Elsa gained everyone's attention. "He wasn't in today, so there was a replacement doctor."

The two other women in the Loft exchanged confused looks before the blonde turned toward the sitting woman. "There's no... other doctor, Elsa."

Now it was Elsa's turn to be confused. "But there was. His name is Hendrik."

"Hendrik?" Hans repeated in disbelief, earning a questioning look for the three women around him, demanding an explanation. "He was a stable boy that I befriended when I was young, the only friend I had, but he died due to an illness." There was a shift in his green eyes then as his brows furrowed. "It must have been one of my brothers that posed as the doctor, using the name because they knew I would know."

"Why would they want you to know?" Regina's eyebrow rose as she questioned him, tone has a slight sneer in it.

His hands tightened around hers like a pulse, a look of slight discomfort in his eyes. "They take enjoyment to ruining my life." It was a personal matter, Elsa realized, something he didn't really talk about to just anyone, something buried underneath him.

"We have to prepare ourselves." Emma concluded, "They are probably going to come when Elsa's in labor, when all focus is on her. We should come to them first."

"Somebody have to stay with her though." The Mayor nodded her head at the Arendelle Queen. "We can have David and Snow, or even the dwarves-"

"Hans." Her voice made the three turned to look at her just as she raised her gaze away from her lap, to see their faces before finally settling on him. "I want Hans to stay."