Season 3

It's a cold snowy day in Corona and the town seems, like it has fallen into a deep slumber. Only a few people are walking the streets, ignoring the cold. Two of them are Lashanie and Varian, the teenage lovers are on their way to Xavier's shop.

They promised they'd help him to clean, after Ruddiger and Rhonda, their pet raccons, caused a big mess there the night before, having one of their silly playful fights.

Even though the cool breeze is biting on their skins, still they enjoy that little walk, chatting and laughing, as they press against each other.

Just when they arrive at the shop and taking off their heavy winter coats, Monty comes in.

His nose and cheeks show a rosy touch and he's wearing a warm smile. After greeting Xavier with a slight nod, he directly walks up to Lashanie.

"Dear, I got something for you."

He pulls a small, red paper bag from his pocket.

"I made you some peppermints, to thank you for your help."

"Oh! Thank you. You really didn't have to!"

Lashanie gives a hug to the old, chubby man and the rosy touch on his cheeks, intensifies a tiny bit.

"Ah, it's nothing."

Without saying more, he turns to leave again, back to his own shop.

Varian looks at his girl, tilting his head, more than obviuosly wondering about that unexpected gift she just received from Monty.

"His shop had some kind of anniversary last week. He wanted to gather as many people as possible and since I would have been singing anyway, I did it in front of his shop this time. We thought it would draw people's attention to the shop and, well, I guess it worked."

She waves the bag of peppermints, the proof it must have been successful.

"It seems so." Varian answers, his lips forming a smile.

.

Soon the two of them are busy with cleaning thoroughly. The girl hums one of her favourite melodies, while sorting some things back into a big shelf. Xavier gives her a look, that makes her stop immediately.

"Did I bother you?"

She puts on her puppy look, causing Varian to roll his eyes with an amused grin on his face.

"No you wouldn't young lady. But I wonder..."

"About me?"

"Yes. See, I know your singing can bring a lot of joy to many people. But I've seen what you can do and maybe you should try to aim for more. You wouldn't have to limit yourself to singing only."

"I..., yeah, I have thought about that already. I mean, the first years of my life I remember, I was only trained to achieve more. And I wouldn't mind if it worked, I'd be happy if I could actually help people. But... I also love to sing. This is what really makes me happy."

"Oh dear, one does not eliminate the other. You, and you alone, decide where you limits are. I'm sure you could make every door open if you would only dare."

Varian listens closely to their talk, but he keeps himself from saying anything about it, he does only know too well, what a complicated topic this is to Lashanie. That more Xavier's talking about, it must be that weird ability of her, to help wounds heal faster. But on that, she's already destroyed the hopes her parents had for her, the hope she would become famous for exactly that talent.

Also, she once told him, that her grandmother was a quite skilled healer. She didn't even have those weird powers Lashanie calls her own, she only made use of her knowledge.

But what did it matter, when it couldn't help Lashanie to master her so called gift. Not like it was expected from her...

"Well, that's..., it doesn't matter anymore. My, this gift, it's gone. Or at least I can't use it anymore."

She says, pretending to be highly focused on the contents of the shelf.

"You never know."

On these words, Xavier leaves the room.

.

When all the cleaning is done, there's still a lot of the day left and they could just go home and get comfy. But after the unpleasant events during the last snowfall, Varian doesn't feel like returning home yet. He suggests they could take a walk instead, maybe they would even find some supplies for his alchemy.

The weather got significantly worse, but since Varian seems quite nervous on the thought of going home, Lashanie agrees.

.

The small raccons to their feet, happily play with the snow flakes and curiously examine their surroundings, as if they had never seen any snow before in their life.

They walk close by a small pond, when the snowfall suddenly grows extremely heavy.

"Maybe we should head back now!", Lashanie shouts against the raising wind.

"You're right. Be careful, it's getting hard to see with all that-"

Abruptly Varian stops talking. He slipped from the path, falling down the small hill, directly into the frozen pond.

"Vary!"

The thin layer of ice instantly broke and Varian's trying to get back on safe and dry ground. But the snow on the hill keeps him slipping off and his clothes, soaked with cold water, drag him down slowly.

Lashanie runs to him, trying to save the alchemist.

.

While holding on to him, she orders Ruddiger and Rhonda to go and find help.

But no matter how hard she tries, it's impossible for the petite girl to give him a helpful lift. Not on that slippery ground and with all the water putting extra weight to his clothes.

"I'm only pulling you in, Birdy! You gotta let go!"

Lashanie tightens her grip. "Never!"

Just when they think it's over and Lashanie is sure to be dragged into the pound herself in no time, someone big and bulky jumps into the freezing cold water, heroically rescuing Varian.

Lashanie gets grab by two slim hands and pulled back up.

Rapunzel looks at her with concern.

"Are you alright Lashanie?"

"I... yes. But Vary!"

She turns around to find it was Lance who just rescued Varian. Relieved she pulls her boyfriend into a tight hug, directing her words to Lance.

"Thank you! Thank you so much, you just saved my entire world!"

Thanks to Rapunzel and her friends, Varian was saved, but he needs to get to a warm place fast. On Lashanie's pleading, they help her to bring him home.

.

A fire burning and Varian in front of it, covered in plenty of blankets, his head resting on Lashanie's lap. But neither the fire, nor the blankets stop his skinny body from shaking like a leaf.

Lashanie softly strokes his hair. His state makes her worry badly - he isn't just sleeping, he's unconcious and breathing heavily.

"Maybe we should go and get your parents." Eugene throws in.

"Yeah, but they ain't around. They left for an errand, they won't return before tomorrow."

Eugene raises an eyebrow and Lashanie pays him an apologetic smile.

"What did you think, why they aren't here right now?"

"Work in the fields?", Lance comments.

With a frown, Lashanie turns her face back to Varian, deciding to ignore that dumb answer.

"I think I might have a clue, what could help Vary. Rapunzel, would you mind bringing me a book from the shelf in my room? It's the an old one with a red cover."

"Alright!"

.

A minute later, Raps returns with the book Lashanie asked for. The teen searches through the pages, before she points her finger at a certain one, shouting "That's it!"

"The ice sleep..." Rapunzel reads out loud.

"Yeah, that's what my grandmother called it, when someone went unconcious from the shock of falling into cold water."

Eugene wonders, "I didn't know it was such a common thing."

With a shrug, Lashanie answers. "Well, on an island in the north, it apparently was. It once happened to my father, when he was still a child, but my grandma was able to help him recover perfectly from it, with some kind of aromatherapy she created. The ingredients are listed here.

It's hot water and el..., that one's hard to read... oh right, elderberries, wintergreen and also sage and black pepper. ...that last one isn't readable, but maybe the other would be enough to help him get better?"

She looks at the princess.

"Yeah, it's worth a try!", Rapunzel calls out, already burning with ambition to get the needed items.

When Lashanie is about to get up, carefully lifting Varian's head from her lap, Rapunzel puts her hand on the young girls shoulder.

"No, you should stay with him and we," she motions to Eugene and Lance, "we go and get the ingredients."

"Are you sure?", Lashanie sceptically looks at the three friends.

Eugene and Lance only nod, as Rapunzel assures her.

"Of course! Don't worry, we'll be right back!"

.

The young lovers are left alone, no sounds but the crackling of the flame in the firplace and Varian's heavy breathing. The fire throws a warm light on his pale face and Lashanie runs her fingers softly over his cheek.

Her eyes rest on him, as she starts to hum a melody. That definetely was one of those moments, where music could help her find some comfort and so she starts singing.

"From my heart and through my hands to you

Here's a gift, a lift to help you through the night

Though the dawn seems far away, please know

Someday it'll be alright

From my lips and with my love I give

Words to help you heal and live again

Though the way seems long and hard, please know

I am here, you're not alone

I am here, you're not alone"

.

Lashanie presses a kiss to Varian's forehead, when she hears Lance state, "Beautiful."

She startles.

"The singing!", he adds, as he hands her the elderberries.

Only a few seconds behind him, Rapunzel and Eugene follow. Now that everything she needs is in her hands, she mixes the ingredients together, while the water is heating in a pot, hanging over the fire.

While she mixes the items, her elbow hits the small paper bag Monty gave her before.

"Peppermints...", she says to herself.

Rapunzel looks at the page of the recipe and squints at the last ingredient.

"Could it be...?"

"Yes, I'm sure it is!", Lashanie answers and throws a few of the peppermints into to pot, together with the rest of the mixed items.

.

Half an hour later, she fills a bowl with the liquid and holds it under Varian's nose, so he can inhale it. It takes a good moment, but soon enough, the aromatherapy is working - Varian opens his eyes, blinking at Lashanie.

.

One more cold day in Corona. The alchemist has pulled up his scarf, to cover most of his face. The accident he had just two days ago, has left him with a quite annoying cough.

Quirin is walking in front of him, the snow crunches under his shoes. Right by Varian's side is Lashanie, holding his hand in a tight grip. With every cough from him, she pays him a worried look.

"Maybe you should have stayed home."

Quirin actually just wants to get some medicine for Varian and allowed the teens to accompany him, when Varian kept asking. But he made it very clear, that this wasn't a pleasure cruise. Usually he'd enjoy to have a little stroll with the teens, but today he's far too worried, Varian could still get really sick.

.

While Quirin talks to pharmacists, explaining what they need, Varian and Lashanie stand to the side.

As they are waiting, Lashanie adjusts Varian's scarf. How she's been mothering him the last few days, puts an amused smile to his face. He brushes a streak of hair behind her ear, just for it to fall right back into place.

"You know, I've done some thinking... maybe Xavier was right and you really should try to make the most of your talents. Not just one of them.", he says quietly.

She keeps playing with his scarf, pretending to put her full attention to it, until he grabs her hands.

"Maybe. I always thought I needed this... this gift to achieve great things, but obviously I don't.", she finally responds.

Varian nods.

"Though I didn't do it alone."

"You want to give it a try anyway?"

She still feels kinda torn. Even though Xavier probably was right and she doesn't have to pin herself to only one thing, it would take a lot of work, to perform both things at a decent level.

Varian closes his arms around her.

"You know, a healer could make a great addition to an alchemist."

He chuckles a little, instantly regreting it, as he starts to cough again.

Lashanie strokes his back.

"We'll see about that. For now I'm just glad you're fine... except for that cough."

-x.ღ.x-

(thanks to my friend Nostalgialover808 for the idea)