A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews! I also hate Vance! On that note, I do not own PATF or Disney. R&R!
Because He Loves Me
Till Death Do Us Part
Three days have passed since the accident and Naveen never left Tiana's side, with the exception of hospital curfew who kicked him out after a certain hour. He would return home to eat and bath but would head right back to her as soon as visiting hours were open. Seeing his wife not responding to him or the doctor got him agitated, helpless and even desperate.
The doctor had just finished examining Tiana before sighing. "She will not wake up. Most of tests have returned and there is no brain damage or swelling."
"Do you know when she'll ever wake up?" Asked a distraught Naveen.
The doctor shrugged. "It's up to her."
Naveen caressed his wife's face. "Tiana you must wake up."
"Cases like these are complicating. Even I can't solve all of them." The doctor told the heartbroken prince.
"Then I would like to request another doctor to care for my wife." Said Naveen.
"I'm the best coloured doctor in Louisiana, Naveen. And even a doctor who has more experience then myself would tell you the exact same thing. It is up to her." He said.
"I want someone else to help get her out of this coma."
"She is not in a coma."
"Then what the hell is in if she's been unconscious for three days?" Naveen challenged the man.
Instead of answering the question, the doctor said, "I'll be back with more of her results." Before leaving the room.
"Damn doctor." Naveen said before giving his wife a kiss on the forehead. "Tiana, I really need for you to wake up. I need you, our son needs you. Marcel ask for you all the time and I have to tell to him that you're on a trip. I know that would be the last thing you would want for me to tell him, but I can't tell him that you may never wake up. It's time for you to come back to me." He said. "We still have a lifetime to spend together."
Naveen took his wife's hand and kissed it. He could smell the vanilla somewhat lingering from her soft brown skin. He remembered the first time he smelled her sweet scent. He never cared for vanilla until that day. It was the day they married in the bayou. It was also the day they made another promise to one another...
...
April, 1926
While on the boat ride back home, Naveen and Tiana couldn't stop kissing. Louis shook his head at the two as he swam by the side of their boat.
"This ride back is boring." He complained. "All ya'll want to do kiss."
The newlyweds ignored their friend and kept at it.
"Remember Louis, this is your only chance to finally play with the big boys. Think about the prize." The alligator told himself as he rolled on his back and began playing a slow tune from his trumpet.
Naveen pulled from the kiss and gazed into his wife's eyes. "Mmm...I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you." He looked her up and down with his honey colour eyes.
Tiana blushed at how he was looking at her. A look only a new husband would give to his new wife.
"Hey..." He cupped her face with his hand. "I'm your husband now. You don't have to be shy with me, no?"
"I can't help myself. I've never felt this way before." She said.
"What? Being in love?" Naveen asked.
She nodded.
"I've never felt this was myself, but I know that I do not want to get rid of it." He grinned at her.
"Me neither." She said before pressing her lips onto his.
Naveen then pulled her into his arms, careful to not rock the boat too much. "And once we find a place a live of our own-
"Actually Naveen..." Tiana cut him off. "I was thinking that we could use the money from my savings to buy a home for us instead."
But he disagreed. "We will not use your restaurant money. I will get two or three jobs and use that money to buy us a home."
"Naveen-
"Tiana, it is my job to provide for you. You can use whatever money you make for the restaurant and I will use the money I make to help with you restaurant and to save for our home."
"Do you have any idea how much it cost to buy a house?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
Naveen shrugged. "I don't know. Fifty dollars?"
Tiana laughed. "You have a lot to learn about the real world, your royal highness."
"How much does it cost to buy a home?" He asked.
"In this economy it's about four to five thousand dollars."
"Four to five thousand dollars?" Naveen put his hand over his forehead. "Faldi faldonza."
"And that's a smaller home. The estates like where Lottie lives are much more."
"I was told that the homes in the US were three thousand dollars."
"Ten years ago in 1916 maybe, but the economy is growing and so is the cost of living." Tiana told him.
"How are we even going to afford our second wedding?" Naveen asked, now concerned about their financial state.
"We'll manage." Tiana smiled. "Unless this marriage is more than you bargained for."
"Oh no. You have me for life." Naveen kissed her. "Like you said we'll manage, and also live on love."
"Live on love?" Tiana laughed.
"Yes, and no matter what hardships that may encounter our way we will face them together." He caressed her face. "Because I love you. Till death do us part."
She returned the smile before pressing her lips on his. "I love you, too. Till death do us part."...
...
Naveen sighed, vividly remembering that day. They made a pack to always face their obstacles together and to never let anything get in their way of their dreams. But he couldn't do that without her, his beautiful wife who was laying peacefully before him.
"Tiana it must comforting to be resting this much, but it's time you wake up." Said Naveen and then thought of another memory. "Do you remember the first time I met your mother?" He sighed, remembering the day. "I was incredibly nervous because I didn't know what to expect from her. Then of course you didn't want her to see us in our froggy wedding attire so I had to go all the way back to the other side of New Orleans at the LaBouff bachelor house and change into something more 'appropriate'. It was somewhat of a inconvenience, but once I saw you standing by your mother's front door..." Naveen smiled, remembering the exact moment. "...it was all worth it...
...
"Thank you, Donald." Naveen tipped the driver before stepping out of the car wearing a white dress shirt and blue trousers. He was carrying a mix bouquet of flowers that contained apple blossoms, cherry blossoms and pink lilies. He inhaled and exhaled before knocking on the front door, anxiously awaiting to see his new bride again.
Once Tiana opened the front door his heart skipped a beat. She was breathtaking in her white floral sundress, embracing her tiny waist, her very dark brown hair was down which showcased her curls that fell down past her shoulders. Her brown eyes haunting his honey ones. 'If only she knew how much I want her in my arms.' He thought.
"Come on in." She told him before closing the door after he walked in. "Louis is in the back yard and my mama is still asleep so we have to be very..." She stopped when she saw the lustful gaze in her husband's eyes. It made her blushed a little. "Naveen, why are you staring me like that?"
Naveen smiled lovingly at his wife before enveloping his arms around her waist, the flowers calling on the coffee table before them. "I can't help myself. Your beauty and presence intoxicates me." And pressed his lips onto hers.
Tiana stood on her tiptoes to feel more of her husband's lips. When she felt his tongue in her own mouth she was a little caught off guard, but remembered what he taught her on the boat ride back, and soon she generously invited his tongue to complete their french kiss.
Naveen's hormones were beginning to get the best of him, so he scooped Tiana in his arms and carried her over to the couch where they continued their kissing session. Moans escaped their mouth before Naveen's lips trailed down to his wife's neck.
Tiana's hormones were also racing, but she wasn't ready to consummate their marriage until after their second wedding, and they were in her mother's living room couch, so she had to stop him. "Naveen..."
"Hmm." He asked, with his lips on her neck.
"Mmm..." She moaned before pushing him away. "I'm sorry-
"No, I should be apologizing." He got off of the couch and picked up the flowers from the coffee table. "I shouldn't have put you into that position. I would never ask you to do anything that you're not ready for."
"I know you wouldn't." Tiana smiled and walked over to her husband, who was holding the flowers. "Whatcha got there?"
He handed them to her. "I wanted to give you these."
Tiana took the flowers and smiled. "They're beautiful. Where did you get them from?"
"Charlotte insisted that I give them to you. She said that you love pink flowers." He frowned.
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, Lottie." She knew that her friend meant well. "If you would get that vase on the table then I'll put these beautiful pink flowers in it. Come on breakfast is cooking right now."
"Mmm." Naveen said, picking up the vase and following her into the kitchen. But stopped on his tracks when he found Eudora in the kitchen.
"Mama." Tiana was also surprised. "I didn't know that you were in the kitchen."
"I just came from the church. I had to come in the house through the backdoor. There's an alligator by the front yard."
"I told him to stay in the back." Tiana said. "Don't mind him, mama. He's a sweetheart."
Eudora smiled at her daughter before giving her a loving hug. "Where were you for the past three days? I've been worried sick!"
"I needed some time away." Tiana said before pulling from the hug.
"Oh babycakes. I know the Fenner's deal didn't go through but..." Eudora stopped when she saw a tall and very handsome Maldonian prince nervously looking her way. "Prince Naveen. What brings you here..." She looked at her daughter and back at him.
"I..." He grew even more nervous. "I-I...wow, this is unusual of me."
Tiana laughed. "He's with me, mama."
The middle age woman raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were with Charlotte?"
"No, I never loved Charlotte." Naveen explained. "Tiana is the woman who I love."
"And I love him, mama." Tiana said.
Eudora covered her mouth and gasped.
Naveen took that as a negative. "I love your daughter with all of my heart. I promise to take care of her, protect her and do all that I can to make her happy. So please let me marry her again." He pleaded.
"Again?" Eudora frowned in confusion.
"I mean..." He looked at his wife. "I truly love her. It feels as if we're already married."
"Oh really?" Eudora crossed her arms.
Tiana shook her head in humor. "Mama. He's a little nervous."
"You don't don't have to be nervous around me, baby." Eudora walked over to Naveen. "You want to marry my babycakes?"
He nodded his head. "More than anything."
She then grinned. "Then you have my blessing!" She pulled him in for a hug. "Ah! My babycakes is gettin' married! And to a very handsome prince!"
Naveen looked over at his wife and smiled.
Tiana returned the smile
Eudora then pulled from the hug, taking both Naveen and Tiana's hands. "Now I have to make your wedding dress! And sixteen sets of baby clothes!"
Naveen raised his eyebrows at his wife. "Sixteen sets?"
Tiana frowned. "Mama!"...
...
"I don't know what went over me that day. Of course your mother was thrilled for you to finally get married and to get 'started with those babies!' but my parents went overboard. Having our home build from the ground up, buying us a brand new car and un-cutting me from the family fortune. And you remained perfectly calm." Naveen said, caressing Tiana's face. "You left a approval impress for my parents." Naveen shook his head and sighed. "And my father was very fond of you, but who isn't? You're stunning." He grew frustrated when he didn't get the usual 'eye rolling' response. "I want you to please wake up for me, Tiana. Speaking to a sleeping you isn't the same. I miss your cute eye rolling and the punching on my arm or poking on my chest."
He then looked up at a cross that was on the wall. It reminded him of Tiana's cross bracelet her father gave her before leaving for war. She has kept the bracelet in her nightstand and would always wear it whenever she prayed. She once told him that the bracelet made her feel a strong connection with her father. So he got down on his knees and held onto his wife's hand, hoping he could get a connection from her while he prayed.
"Please do not take my wife from me. She is the only person on this earth who has accepted me for me. The only person who could see right through me with everything I tell her. The only person who changed my selfish ways and to fall in love with her. We have a son together name Marcel who has made our happy home even happier." A tear ran down his face. "So please whomever you might be. Bring my wife back to me. We have a lifetime to spend together. Without her, there is no life for me." He closed his eyes.
"Naveen, don't ever say that." Tiana said softly.
He opened his eyes after hearing his wife's voice. When he looked up to see that it was indeed her, he gasped "Tiana? Are you really awake?"
"Yes? But what happened?" She asked in a weak voice.
Naveen stood up to kiss and hug his wife. "Mi benita. Oh, my beautiful, sweet wife!"
Tiana didn't know how to react, but was curious as to why she was in a hospital bed.
"I thought I lost you forever!" Naveen said.
Tiana wiped away his tears.
"Oh, mi benita." He rested his head on her lap.
Tiana ran her fingers through her husband's hair. "I'm here, Naveen."
Just then, the doctor came in. "I just wanted to..." He stopped when he saw a very alert Tiana. "My god!"
Naveen heard the doctor and sat back up. "Yes! It's a miracle!" He took her hand.
Tiana gave both Naveen and the doctor a puzzled look.
The doctor went to check on her. Flashing a small light in her eyes. "How many fingers am I holding up?"
She saw his two fingers and answered, "Two."
He nodded is head. "Good. Do you remember how you got here?"
She shook her head 'no'.
"You were in a car accident. You flew seventy feet from the car you were driving in without suffering a concussion. Do you remember any of it now?"
She then remembered that night when Vance attacked her. "I remember."
"How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Like I just woke up." She answered, looking up at her husband who's black eyes had dramatically faded as well as the swelling. Only a small amount of black could be seen around the corner of his eyes. His lips were no longer swollen. "How did you get out of -
"We'll talk about that later." Naveen smiled. "You're alright and that's all that matters to me."
"Do you feel weak? Headaches? Nausea?" Asked the doctor.
"No." Tiana answered. "I feel fine."
"You have been unconscious for three days, dear." Said the doctor. "Clearly you must feel some pain.'
"I honestly don't." Tiana said.
The doctor couldn't believe his eyes. "Never in my twenty-seven years in practicing medicine have I seen this. You are a product of a miracle, especially for a woman of your petite size!"
Naveen kissed his wife's hand. "She's a warrior."
The doctor then opened up his folder. "This was originally going to be some bittersweet news to share, but now that Tiana is awake and doing well this should be some good news, however you two may take it."
The couple both curiously looked at the doctor.
"I was picking up the last of her blood and urine tests and noticed in the results of her urine test that her hCG levels were very high." He grinned.
But Naveen didn't understand what the doctor was telling them. "An hCG level?"
"Yes, the human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone that increases greatly during the early stages of pregnancy. As it's required, I did a rabbit test three days ago and immediately found out a few moments ago that you Tiana, are with child."
Tiana gasped, looking up at her husband.
Naveen was just as shocked. "Are you sure that she's pregnant?"
The doctor nodded his head. "Yes, very sure."
The prince opened his mouth.
"She is of age and-
"Achidonza!" Naveen interrupted the doctor, but quickly apologized. "I'm sorry."
The doctor laughed at the proud father-to-be. "Well I am going to need Tiana to stay in the hospital for a few more days just for precaution. And by this weekend she is all yours to keep."
"Do you have any idea how far along I am?" Tiana asked, trying to keep her composure.
"When was your last menstrual cycle?" He asked.
"You said that've been unconscious of three days, right?" She asked.
"Yes."
"The last time I remember it was back in September thirtieth." Tiana answered
"How long did it last for?"
"Four days." She answered.
"So that means you're six weeks pregnant then." Said the doctor. "Have you had an symptoms before the accident? Such as morning sickness, dizziness, lost of balance, increased appetite? Breast tenderness?"
"Just breast tenderness and I have been hungry. I'm hungry right now." Tiana looked at her husband.
"Of course you are." Naveen said and looked at the doctor. "Could she eat now?"
"Yes, she can! I will have a nurse bring you up some soup for starters." Said the doctor.
"Soup?" Tiana raised her eyebrows.
"You were asleep for three days. I'll have have the nurse also bring up a muffin.", He said, opening the door to leave. "I'll be right back."
"A soup and muffin?" Tiana asked her husband. "What's that gonna do for me?"
"Settle in your stomach and if all goes well they may give you something heavier?"
Tiana rolled her eyes.
"What?" He asked with a sly grin.
She then exhaled at the realization of the news the doctor just gave them. "We're gonna have a baby!"
Naveen smiled at her. "Yes, we are..." Then kissed her on the forehead. "I still cannot believe this."
"Are you disappointed?" She asked.
"No I'm thrilled." He said. "I'm just thankful to have you back." He caressed her face. "And a surprise baby on the way. A lot of good news in a short amount of time."
"Just in time for the holidays." Tiana put her husband's hand on her abdominal.
"Thanksgiving." Naveen remembered that her family were due to visit. "Is it too late to cancel your family-
"Naveen." She stopped him.
"Alright..." He grinned at her. "I look forward to seing your family."
Tiana rolled her eyes. "Not convinced."
He sighed. "Fine, I'm not too excited about having company over because I want you all to myself."
"Thanksgiving is in two weeks." She reminded him.
"Why can't they come over for Christmas or New Year?"
"Because I want them all to meet Marcel and maybe I just want to see my family because I'm thank to have woken up" Tiana told him.
Naveen saw tears forming in his wife's eyes and knew he made a fool of himself. "I'm sorry, Tiana. I didn't think of it that way."
Tears ran down her cheeks. "I remember driving so fast and away from Vance that I thought that I finally lost him, until he hit my car. And while I was spinning, my life flashed before my eyes. I saw my daddy, my mama, then I saw you and Marcel. All the people who are closet to my heart. I didn't think of dying or living, just my family." She looked at her husband. "You're all my life."
Naveen wiped the tears from his wife's face before pressing his lips onto hers. "And you, Marcel and this baby are my life. Till death to us part."
Tiana closed and opened her eyes before responding, "Till death do us part."
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