Chapter Forty One
A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything else belongs to Disney.
Okay, so going to address the elephant in the room first—I am so sorry about the confusion over in Choosing Home. That was user error on my part, I was trying to update a mistake that'd been made and pointed out to me and accidentally pressed 'publish new chapter' instead of 'replace/update chapter'. Trust me, I deleted it like the second it showed up.
Okay, okay! Happier talk! Yes, it's kinda a sick whump chapter—but that's because I wanted to write it! Especially with Henry and Claudine! :D I wanted to separate the wedding chapters and had been toying with spreading my writing wings so to speak.
Agent Cauldwell: Yep, Ben's immortal now! I figured dresses and makeup might be a good combination to make into partners. And nope, not yet!
HufflepuffInDaHealingCoven: You should assume all responsibility! That being said, don't be sorry about it! Hamilton rents a vacation home in my head, coming and going as it pleases. And yep, you read that right!
Guest: About 19 chapters to go before the end!
Marcus Emrys: I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter! :D And yeah, she was casual about it but then again, they're both eons old. I'm sure pregnancy is nothing new to them!
LotusQuil: Oh thank you! I'm so happy you loved it—and it was a great idea, why wouldn't I use it? Oh I think Hades would be very sulky when it came time for Alex to meet the parents!
Flaresouth: So glad you enjoyed it! You will, there may be time jumps just because I do want to end this story at some point but the little sibling will be a part!
OceanBlueSeaEyes: Oh thank you! I honestly think that song is perfect for Bal!
Katie2001: Oh thank you! :D
danifan3000: Oh I think I remember that episode actually! Which is weird because I didn't really watch Tarzan that much as a kid…brain, explain yourself!
Maybelle Rose: Yep, I saw it! And yeah that 'We're Rotten to the Core' felt wrong without Carlos there. And who gave Maleficent a hat?
AmethystDragon14: Yay! Lol so you reacted the same way I did when I saw the trailer for the Royal Wedding! Just mindless flailing and squealing!
Guest: Oh I love it! Great one shot! :D
Anonymous Reader: I'm so glad you liked it and you are so welcome! I couldn't resist making the 'official' wedding on the same day as the Disney Wedding now that we have a date! Squee!
Pterodactyl1993: Oh thank you! I think canon might be a bit more exciting than the wedding in my story but that's not necessarily a good thing! Glad you liked the chapter!
Guest: …so I"m guessing you liked the chapter? :D
Hufflepuff24: I might in all honesty, depends on what direction they take the plot and how much I can actually sit through it if they're doing what I think they're doing.
Monkeymama1516: Oh I would love to but…those would be spoilers! ;D But I'm so glad you're enjoying my stories!
twilightgirl587: So glad you enjoyed it!
Kaybugg1: Oh thank you! Anastasia is one of my favorite movies too! :D
jessanminego5134: Oh I can hear them too! I'm so glad that she is no longer here so we don't have to deal with her shrieks! :D Yep Benny boy's immortal now! Because why not? :D Glad you liked the chapter!
Hope you all like the chapter! Let me know what you think! :D
The sound of steel on steel was one that was familiar in the backyard of the lighthouse Henry and Claudine now occupied. It was in Eric and Ariel's kingdom; Henry and Claudine maintained it and ran it to warn ships if they were coming too close to shore. It was the only way Henry and Claudine had felt comfortable with accepting the use of the beach for their wedding without any cost.
The idea of getting something for nothing was quite foreign to the VKs after all.
However, just because the years had changed, that didn't mean the people had. In all sort of weather, Henry could be found training with Ryan or even sleeping under the canopy that was over the front steps.
Despite living in Auradon for years now, he still found it difficult to sleep if he was unable to hear the water. But the last thing he wanted to do was bother Claudine so he'd sneak out of the bed and try to time it so he was back in bed by the time she woke up.
Nine times out of ten he was successful.
However, today the sound of steel on steel was replaced with the sound of coughing—something not as familiar and honestly almost worrying considering the intensity.
"Henry?" Ryan asked, looking at his sparring partner in concern. "You okay? You need some water?"
Henry shook his head and held up his hand, as if to tell Ryan he just needed a minute.
"Mate, take some deep breaths okay? Here, have a drink," Ryan said, handing Henry his canteen.
"I'm…I'm fine…it's okay…really Ry," Henry tried to tell him but the coughs just wouldn't stop. He'd actually been feeling like that for the past three days but the last thing he wanted to do was miss Mal's wedding.
She had attended his, it was only fair that he attend her's.
So he faked it, whenever Claudine asked him if he was feeling okay he told her yes even when it felt like there was an anchor sitting on his head or that he'd swallowed coral.
"Uh huh. And that's why you sound like you're trying to cough out both your lungs?" Ryan asked as Claudine came rushing over.
"What happened?" Claudine asked.
"I dunno, he just started having a coughing fit," Ryan told her. "Stubborn idiot says he's fine though."
He sighed and turned back to Henry. "Come on, sit down mate. Gods, that one sounded bad. Why in the world did you agree to train when you're clearly sick?"
"I'm not sick," Henry said, the coughing subsiding after he took a sip of his water.
"Henry, you were coughing so hard you were going to bring up a lung," Claudine said. "You're sick. Come on, let's get you over to Ariel and Eric's."
"What? Why?"
"To get you checked out by their royal physician of course!"
Henry opened his mouth to speak but doubled over as a new wave of coughs spilled out.
"Okay, you're okay," Claudine said, gently rubbing his back as she looked over at Ryan. "Ryan, call Eric and let him know we're making our way over there. Henry's got to be seen by someone and I figure a private physician would be better than making our way to the hospital."
"On it," Ryan promised before running inside the lighthouse.
Claudine sighed and shook her head. "How'd I get such a stubborn husband?"
"The same…way I got a…stubborn wife," Henry said, his voice slightly raspy from the coughing.
"Don't try to hold it in Henry, it might be worse otherwise," Claudine told him, giving him a small smile as she knew he was only teasing her. "You've spent too much time sleeping outside and with the change of temperatures, it's no wonder you're sick."
Henry shook his head, still coughing so hard it was almost impossible for him to talk. He wasn't going to take resources from someone else who might need them. It didn't matter that he'd spent years in Auradon at this point—the lifetime of living on the Isle wasn't going to be just brushed off.
"Uh uh, don't you shake your head at me," Claudine told him. "If you don't go, we won't be able to go to Mal's wedding and I know you wanted to go to that."
"…I'm…fine," Henry told her in between coughs. "I'm not…wasting…resources."
"It's not a waste Henry. They've got supplies up the wazoo," Claudine told him. "Think of it this way. If this was our kid insisting that they were fine, you wouldn't just accept that at face value would you? You'd tell them they were going to get checked out and that was that."
"Of course I would! Wait…"
"No, no, I'm not pregnant," Claudine said quickly, shaking her head. Granted she had been feeling a bit nauseous but she figured she was only catching whatever Henry had. After all, they'd only been married for two years and Henry had only just gotten comfortable going all the way physically.
Auradon doctors were good, with their magic and science and medicine and everything, but even they weren't that good. Were they?
"Eric said to come over," Ryan said as he ran up, pulling Claudine out of her thoughts. Henry shook his head again before doubling over once more, trying to suppress the cough but failing.
Claudine and Ryan looked at each other knowingly as Claudine gently pulled Henry to his feet and led him to the car. Both Claudine and Henry had gotten their licenses but Claudine felt more comfortable driving.
"Ry, you mind watching the house while Henry and I are gone?"
"Of course!"
"No inviting CJ over. You know perfectly well Harriet and Harry would kill you."
"Yeah I know," Ryan nodded. Thankfully, CJ and Harry's relationship had repaired somewhat over the years. Maybe it was being in Auradon, maybe it was Harry finally realizing that blaming someone for being born was kinda ridiculous.
Ryan wasn't sure. Either way though her was glad that CJ had some relationship with her brother.
"Now, as for you," Claudine said, looking at Henry. "Come on, let's get you looked at. Otherwise we won't be going to the wedding and I know you were looking forward to that."
Henry pouted slightly but Claudine shook her head in amusement as she drove off. They rode in silence, the only sound the slight hacking cough coming from Henry's side.
"Oh dear, oh dear," Doc said with a frown as he saw Henry.
"Doc's your royal physician?" Claudine whispered to Eric.
"No but it's the royal physician's day off and Snow owed me a favor," Eric whispered back.
"Ah."
Henry tried to suppress his coughs yet again as he pursed his lips together but all it did was cause his body to wrack with the silent coughs.
"You don't have to fight it love, not for us," Claudine said gently. "You're sick, there's no shame in it."
Henry shook his head once more, still trying to suppress the coughs.
"He really shouldn't do that," Doc said. "Coughing is actually a good way to clear out the lungs, especially if there's any mucus build up. Now come along, let's get you checked out."
"Really…I'm fine…I'm a grown man, there's no need to fuss!"
"Henry, you can barely stop coughing," Claudine said. "There'll be fussing whether you like it or not."
"Okay now, I'm going to check your temperature," Doc said as he pulled out a no contact thermometer and held it by Henry's forehead. "Hmm, oh dear. That's rather high. How long has he been sick?"
"I'm not—."
"Henry, there's no need to be brave. The 102.3 temperature you have tells a very different story. How long have you been sick?"
"Henry, you can tell him," Claudine said gently as she went to stand next to her husband. "He just wants to help, we all do. You've been working out constantly, going to the Isle to make sure Audrey's still safe at the soup kitchen even though Freddy's been dead for years. Not to mention your sleeping habits, you're worn down. It'd make sense you'd get sick."
Henry sighed. "Maybe…three days…" he whispered.
"Okay, well then let me feel your glands. I'm suspecting you've got bronchitis with that cough though it could be an upper respiratory infection. If the glands are swollen and your throat hurts though, we could be looking at strep." Doc said. "Though we wouldn't know for sure until I preformed the test to confirm."
Doc gingerly felt around Henry's neck. "Well they do feel a bit swollen but that could just be your immune system fighting off this illness. Tell me, do you feel nauseous at all? Sore throat?"
Henry shook his head. "I'm not sick…but…my throat does hurt…"
"Gods, what is it with you Rats and being stubborn?" Claudine chuckled.
"I…just meant I…don't feel nauseous," Henry elaborated. "I'm familiar with nausea…growing up on the Isle."
"Do you have any discomfort in the stomach? An urge to vomit? Any heaviness? Tightness?" Doc asked.
"My…my whole body feels heavy…"
Doc nodded and scurried over to the nearby table to pick up a flashlight.
"What's…what's that for?" Henry asked, his voice soft from all the coughing. Somehow, he'd managed to avoid ever visiting a hospital in his time in Auradon. Well, for himself. He was certainly willing to take Ryan or Derek—or even Jacobi if he injured himself sparring.
"I'm just going to have a look in the back of your throat if that's alright?"
"I mean…you don't have to but okay," Henry nodded, noticing the look both Claudine and Eric were giving him.
"What's the verdict?" Eric asked.
"The back of his throat's inflamed, looks almost raw. I'm surprised he still has a voice left to be completely honest," Doc said. "I'd almost want to say we're dealing with strep but more than likely we're dealing with bronchitis since he said he wasn't feeling nauseous."
"Bronchitis is something that would require antibiotics wouldn't it?" Eric clarified.
"A good…night's rest and…a mug of tea…would be fine," Henry said, shaking his head. "I'm not…taking resources from…anyone."
"You're not taking resources," Eric said, shaking his head. "Doc, if you need to, you can use our hospital to fill Henry's prescription. It shouldn't be an issue."
"You don't…need to do…that…"
"As I said, I'd advise that he stop suppressing that cough. It could turn into pneumonia otherwise," Doc said as he reached for a prescription pad. "Keep the fluids up and I'd advise only light meals for the next few days. Soup would be best. Oh and rest. Lots of rest."
"What?"
"Guess that means no sparring for you," Claudine said with a small chuckle as Henry pouted slightly at the news.
"What! I mean but…I have…I can't just—."
"Ah ba ba ba, no arguing with Doc! That is what's been advised and that's what you're doing." Claudine said. "If need be, I'll ask Eric for a room here and find a way to ensure you sleep."
"I don't need…I get sleep…"
"Yeah, by the ocean Henry. You need to sleep in a bed," Claudine told him. "If it was flipped, and I was the one sick, would you just let me brush it off?"
"What? Of course not!"
"Then I'm not going to do it for you," Claudine told him, gently kissing the top of Henry's head. "You're on bedrest for the rest of the week okay? Just until you're better and then you and Ryan and Derek and the other Derek can spar till your heart's content."
"You…too…"
"Of course me too, who do you think I am? I'm a pirate captain's daughter after all," Claudine chuckled.
Ariel smiled slightly as she walked in. "I hope it's alright but I reached out to Mal after Eric told me about what was going on," she said. "Carlos found a noise machine that can make sounds like the ocean. He'd be happy to bring it over."
"That'd be great," Claudine said.
"I've also made my mother's recipe for seaweed tea," Ariel said. "It was always good when we were feeling unwell as guppies—I added a bit of honey to counter act the saltiness."
"I was just going to say a bit of Chamomile tea is good for sleeping," Doc nodded. "It would also help the inflammation in his throat."
"I had Carlotta make up the guest room," Ariel said, smiling a little as Henry took the tea. It was honestly hard not to be fond of the VKs, even when they were full fledged adults. But at the same time, their stubbornness at seeking help only saddened the Auradonians as they knew why the former Isle dwellers were so stubborn.
They had to be.
"Come on," Claudine said gently, pulling Henry to his feet. "I'm sure Eric and Ariel have some movies with sword fighting in them. You can complain about their technique to your heart's content."
"Claudine…you're going overboard…there's no need to coddle…"
Claudine rolled her eyes but paused as a small cough escaped her lips.
"Claudine?" Henry asked.
"I'm not sick," Claudine shook her head. "I'm sure it's just dust or something, or the change in weather."
Henry chuckled and held her close. "What were you saying before…about having a stubborn husband? At least now I…won't be alone on….bed rest…"
"Plus, Mrs. Kersey, at least with you we caught it early so it's likely your cough won't be as bad," Doc added as he quickly wrote out another prescription. Just in case.
Ariel smiled and gently led the two to the guest bedroom. "I'll have Chef Louis make up some chicken noodle soup," she promised. "Plus more tea. You can never go wrong with tea."
"And think about this. The sooner you rest up, the sooner you're well and out there sparring to your heart's content again," Eric said, having followed them.
"I have to say…these beds are nice," Henry said, his voice still soft, as he and Claudine climbed into the bed; having kicked their shoes off before.
"That they are. You'd know this if you spent more time in ours," Claudine said softly as she rested her head on his shoulder. Before either of them knew it, they'd both fallen asleep.
Eric caught Ariel's eye and nodded his head toward the door. Ariel nodded and the two of them softly crept out of the room; making sure to leave the door open a smidge in case either Henry or Claudine needed something.
They knew the two of them could take care of themselves. But now, they didn't have to.