This FanFiction is also published on Wattpad, so if you find it on Wattpad, that's me.
This story came to me while I was watching Hannah Bayles (the vocal coach on YouTube) react to Jeremy Jordan singing "She Used To Be Mine" from Waitress.
What if Varian had a sister, and she was pregnant and abused by her so-called true love? And what if she died in childbirth, and Varian (and his dad) became the sole caretakers of that baby? Once I heard Jeremy Jordan sing this song, I immediately thought of those "what-ifs".
Read and review!
Also, I'm sorry if Varian is OOC. I haven't had a chance to watch the series in its entirety, with me working on my novel so much. And if you'd like to me to expand on Brenna's - Varian's sister - story, leave a comment telling me so! I'd be happy to write more on this character!
Also, here is the link to the cover! /watch?v=kIzFBpXgLJk
He'd never seen so many bruises in his life.
"Varian, I'm fine."
"Brenna, you're not fine. He's hurt you more times than I can count. You need to leave him."
"Varian...I - I can't."
"Why not?"
"How am I supposed to raise a baby all on my own?"
"You won't be on your own. You've got me, and you've got Dad. We'll help out, and we'll protect both of you. Please, Bren."
"I'll think about it."
A few weeks pass, and Varian is working on an experiment for the princess, when there's a knock on the front door.
"Just a second!" Varian walks away from his experiment and opens the door.
"Brenna?"
His sister is covered head to toe in bruises.
"Sis? Are you...are you okay? That's a stupid question. I know you're not okay. Come in. Come sit down."
"Thanks, Var."
Varian sits his sister down in a chair.
"What are you working on?"
"Nuh-uh. You aren't getting off that easy. What happened?"
"I...I told him off...and he started beating me...I ran to the midwife and she said I was lucky the baby's still...alive."
"Oh, sis. I'm so sorry. This is my fault."
"Varian, it's not your fault. If anyone's, it's mine."
"It's not yours either, sis. It's that jerk's fault. He's the one who's been abusing you. I've got your back, sis. We'll talk to Dad about this when he gets home."
"Thank you, Varian."
"You're welcome."
~.~
It's time.
Varian wakes up to his sister's cries of anguish.
The midwives can do little to comfort her.
She'd moved back in with her father and Varian after finding out she was pregnant four months prior to this day…she'd been with her husband, but when he found out she was pregnant, his beatings didn't lessen, so she left as soon as she was able to.
Varian creeps down the hall to his sister's room.
"Varian?"
Varian walks over to his sister and kneels before her.
"I'm here, sis. What do you need?"
"Stay. I need my little brother."
"I can do that."
Varian does what he can to comfort his big sister, but there's little he can do to ease her pain.
Hours later, the time comes for the baby to be born, and it's a hard task for Varian's sister. But he doesn't leave her side for even a second.
He soon hears the cries of his newborn niece or nephew.
"Sis! Sis, you did it! Dad's going to be so happy to have a grandchild!"
She doesn't answer.
"She's losing too much blood. Get her brother out of the room."
"N-no, wait! Please! Don't make me leave my sister!"
"I'm sorry, son. We need to try to save her. You can hold your niece."
The midwife carefully places the squalling baby girl in Varian's arms and guides him out of the room.
Varian does what he can to soothe his niece.
Soon, the midwife that had handed him his niece comes out of the room.
"How's my sister doing?"
"I'm so sorry, Varian. We did everything we could."
Varian breaks down to his knees, and the midwife barely catches him in time, so he doesn't accidentally hurt the baby.
"We'll let your father know. And we can take the baby off your hands, see if we can't find her another good home."
"No...no, I can't - I can't let you do that. She's the last piece of my sister I have, and I don't care how hard raising her will be. I'm not letting anyone have her besides me and Dad."
"We understand."
A week later, it's time for Varian's sister's funeral.
"My sister...she was the light of my life. I don't know...I don't know how I'll live on without her, but now I've got her daughter to take care of, and I won't let anyone hurt her. She's gone through enough. Now, I'd like to sing you a song."
(Please listen to Jeremy Jordan's cover of She Used To Be Mine)
After the funeral, Rapunzel, Cassandra, Eugene and the Royal family approach Varian.
"Varian, we are so sorry for your loss. Does your niece have a name?" Princess Rapunzel asks.
"Brenna, after her mother."
After the Royal family leaves, Varian looks to the heavens.
"You'd love Brenna, sis. She looks just like you...which, I guess, is kinda stupid to say, since she's...since she's yours." Varian chokes out, starting to cry.
"I'll take care of her, sis. I'll guard Brenna with my life. I promise."