A/N: CAUTION: If you're really sensitive about cancer and stories about it, I suggest you not read this. This is a very serious fanfic and isn't for the faint hearted. I've known two families who lost a family member, the mother, to cancer and I know that they suffered. Having cancer isn't just about having family by your side, it requires a lot of sacrifice.
Elsa had cancer. There was no other way to put it. Hans heard the news when Elsa had unusual pain and her breathing speed increased, and was rushed to the hospital. The young male doctor removed his glasses and told him the bad news.
"What stage?" Hans managed to ask.
"Stage 2." the doctor replied.
"How is she only now showing symptoms?"
"In most cases, women don't feel pain as a result of the cancer, and so, they don't realize they have cancer. And, that was the case with Elsa."
Hans rubbed his temples.
"I am truly sorry, Mr. Westerguard. Luckily, she-"
"Luckily? What luck can there possibly be in a situation like this?" Hans snapped.
Doctors and patients roaming the halls paused and stared at the angry redhead, as he grew angry at the doctor.
"Sir, please, we're doing all that we can." the doctor said, with a stern, but calm voice. "It's lucky that the symptoms became obvious enough for her to come here and get treated. If she was in Stage IV, it would've been too late."
Hans nodded. "Yes...I'm sorry."
"She mentioned calling her sister. Would you like us to get ahold of her for you?" the doctor asked.
"No, no, I called her while I was waiting out here. She should be here soon." Hans replied, staring at the ground.
"Good, good. I'll send a nurse out when we're done with our tests."
The doctor went back into the room where Elsa was being treated and closed the door. Hans put both hands over his eyes and let out a quiet sob. His hands made his way across his forehead and through his hair.
"Hans.."
He turned and saw Anna with her boyfriend, standing at the end of the hall. She hurried to Hans and hugged him tightly.
"What is it? Where's Elsa?" she asked, worriedly.
Hans cleared his throat. "She..She, uh…"
The redhead looked around the hall, trying to blink away his tears.
"She, what?"
Hans bit his lip "She has cancer, Anna."
Anna's eyes grew wide and filled with tears. Her boyfriend, Kristoff, placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to rush into his arms.
"Elsa…" she sobbed into his shoulder.
"How long have you guys been here?" Kristoff asked Hans.
"Almost an hour, now." Hans replied, though he didn't feel like talking.
"Can I see her yet?' Anna asked, wiping her tears.
Hans shook his head. "Not yet."
Just as he finished saying that, a nurse came out of Elsa's room and looked at Hans.
"Are you Mr. Westerguard?" she asked.
"Yes." Hans replied.
"Could you come in, please? The doctor wishes to speak with you."
"Is Elsa okay?" Anna asked the nurse.
The nurse looked at Anna, then back at Hans.
"She's...better. Mr. Westerguard…" she said, motioning for him to follow her.
Hans nodded and followed the nurse into the room, closing the door as Anna let out another sob.
Elsa had gotten an MRI, and was now sitting on a bed, holding herself. Hans came in and the nurse left them alone. Elsa's back was to the door, as Hans closed it.
"Elsa…" he said, gently.
She turned and Hans could see tears stains on her cheeks. He was quickly greeted by a large hug and a kiss on the cheek. Elsa began to sob in his arms, as he placed his left hand behind her head, and his other hand held her closely.
"Hans…" she cried.
He shushed her. "It's okay, baby. I'm here, I'm here."
They stayed in the same position for a moment, until Elsa was ready to speak. She stared at the floor as she spoke.
"They're bringing my results from the MRI." she said, her voice cracking a bit.
Hans looked down at his wife and touched the side of her face with his hand. A tear fell from her eye, but he wiped it away with his thumb.
"You're going to make it through this." he said.
"But, my mother had breast cancer and-"
"But, you're not your mother." he said. "She fought well, and so will you."
Elsa let tears fall again. "But, what if I lose? I can't leave Anna like this and then, there's you, and I can't-"
"Hey, hey," he said, gently, "Don't worry about me, okay? You need to focus on-"
The door to the room opened and the doctor Hans spoke to earlier came in. Elsa gripped her husband's arm and bit her index finger's nail, like a child. The doctor had a small smile, but not a real one.
"How are you feeling, Mrs. Westerguard?" the doctor asked.
"What were my test results?" she asked.
Hans looked down at Elsa, but she kept her eyes fixed on the doctor. The doctor adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat.
"We were able to kill off some of the cancer cells that hadn't fully grown, but most of them have grown and have already spread throughout your shoulders and stomach." he replied, quietly.
Hans swallowed. "A-And...what next?"
The doctor sighed. "She'll have to come again in a few weeks. The body can only take so much time getting an MRI, and by the time she's ready for more chemotherapy-"
"More cancer will have spread." Elsa said.
The doctor only nodded, making Elsa nod too. Then, she threw herself into Hans's arms and wept.
"But, can't you slow it down with extra therapy?" Hans asked, holding back tears.
"Like I said, the body can only take so much at a given time. The cancer is spreading dangerously fast and chemotherapy will only...slow it down by a few months."
A nurse came in to help Elsa get back into her regular clothes. Elsa covered her face with her hands and cried, as they left the room. Only Hans and the doctor were left.
"How long does she have?" Hans mumbled.
"Sir?"
"How long does my wife have?" Hans asked, loudly and angrily.
The doctor cringed at his outburst and replied, "About a year or so. Two years, at the most."
Hans cursed himself for snapping at the doctor, and spoke gentler.
"When can she go back home?"
"Tomorrow. Her body needs to rest a bit from the chemo."
Hans nodded. "Thank you."
And with that, he headed out of the room and closed the door. Anna was still crying as she sat beside Kristoff. They both looked up at Hans as he left the room. Seeing Anna's red eyes and remembering how Elsa held onto him made him lose control of himself.
Hans leaned against the wall and slid to the ground, crying. He put his hand over his eyes and placed his arm onto his knee. Anna began to cry even more into a tissue. Kristoff sat beside Hans and simply put a hand on his shoulder as Hans wept.