Walk through this night
Marshall barely noticed the taillights of the cars come and go, as he kept his eyes focused on the road and the lights of the ambulance a couple of blocks ahead. He was certain he'd get several infractions in his mailbox in the course of the following weeks, but little did he mind. All his focus and attention were on not losing track of the ambulance and knowing exactly where they were taking Elsa. He was thankful his memory served him well and he remembered exactly the fastest routes to the different medical facilities, making it easier for him to guess the next turn and detour.
It was logical to think they were headed to the Central hospital. It was the biggest public hospital in town and where the paramedics were expected to take patients, unless there was an emergency or the doctors requested otherwise. The route his former colleague was taking only seemed to reaffirm his theory as well, allowing him to relax a bit, knowing he would still know where to go even if he lost sight of the ambulance. However, just before they got to the avenue that would lead them straight to Central hospital, the ambulance took a sharp turn in the opposite direction. This forced Marshall to press the pedal, in an attempt to catch up with them, as well as make him think of any other options close by. After a few minutes, the ambulance arrived at a private clinic. It wasn't the biggest medical facility, but it was one of the most expensive and technologically advanced in town. It was never a first option for the paramedics, unless the patient was racing against time.
Stopping the car in front of the main doors, he cursed under his breath at the lack of parking space. Thinking it was best to make sure the doctors had all the necessary information on Elsa, he requested Kai to step out of the vehicle and go inside while he tried to park the car. The older man nodded in agreement and exited the car in a hurry — green folder in his hands. He watched Elsa's father until the main glass doors closed behind him, and Marshall took a moment to breathe. He couldn't stand the fact his fear was controlling his actions. He had to make an effort and think of Elsa as any other patient if he wanted to calm his racing heart. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't take the picture of Elsa being rushed to the ambulance out of his head. A car horn right behind him pulled him out of his trance, and from the rearview mirror he saw a man gesturing for him to do something. He flashed the man a hand gesture that earned him another honk and several curses, and finally drove off.
He parked a block away and darted back to the main entrance. He saw the ambulance still parked close to the emergency room and he decided to detour before he got inside. It was a matter of time until Karl or the other paramedic exited the building, and he wanted to talk to them when they did. He was certain they'd leave a lot sooner than Kai could get some news on Elsa's condition. And so, leaning against a wall, as close to the ambulance as possible, he waited.
As he did, he tried to remember all the times he had rushed people to emergency rooms in what seemed to be severe health conditions, only for them to make a recovery in just a few hours. Analysing what he knew helped him calm down and it allowed him to clear his mind, making the waiting not as hard to endure. He didn't know for certain what had happened to Elsa, but he hoped she was just another one of those patients. After all, she was a young, athletic person. He had his reservations about her eating habits, but she wasn't malnourished either. The odds were she'd make a full recovery from whatever had happened.
He wasn't sure how long he stayed outside, but as soon as Karl walked out, he approached him, calling his name. "Karl, hold up!"
"Marshall," the slightly older man said with a small smile when he turned around to greet him. "For a moment I thought I had travelled back in time, back there." He was referring to Marshall's interruption at the Bjorgman's house. "How've you been?"
Marshall offered his ex-colleague a half-smile in return, a bit ashamed at not being able to control himself. He had deep respect for Karl and the way he worked. Now that he thought about it, Marshall realised he would have liked running into him in a different scenario where they both could stop to chat. "I need you to tell me what you know about Elsa's condition."
Karl's smile dropped, soon replaced by a look that Marshall could only interpret as sympathy for him or Elsa, he wasn't sure. The man opened the back door of the ambulance and began cleaning a few things as he spoke. "You know I can't divulge any information on our patients."
"Please, mate." He got closer, trying to speak in a quiet voice, so as not to call the attention of other people. "You know I wouldn't put you in this situation if she weren't important."
"Wait for Nielsen, I'm sure he'll tell you more." Karl cleaned a few tools and ordered some things inside the vehicle as he spoke.
"Please," he begged again, not at all reassured by the fact Karl kept avoiding his eyes. Both men had worked together for several months and Marshall knew it was something he did whenever he had to talk about sensitive topics. "At least tell me what you think."
"I can't say anything for certain…" he said, finally looking up. "It's best to wait for the critical care crew's report."
"Critical care?" Marshall asked, taken aback by the news.
Realising his mistake a little too late, Karl sighed, knowing he should have been more careful.
"That's why you turned at the last second. You were going to Central hospital but changed your mind." Marshall said when he finally came back to his senses.
"Her blood pressure dropped," Karl said, nodding his head. "The hospital had no place in the ICU for her and we couldn't waste any more time driving to a different public hospital. This clinic was the closest, safest bet." Stepping out of the ambulance, Karl put a hand on Marshall's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you more, but she was rushed inside as soon as we got here."
"Karl, all set." A new voice not far away from them said. Looking in its direction, they saw the other paramedic walking out of the building.
There were so many things Marshall wanted to ask the man. It was clear he had been the one in charge of filling their report while Karl cleaned the ambulance, but he knew he couldn't just start asking this man questions and hold them back any longer. They were on duty and there could be an emergency at any minute. Feeling Karl tightening his grip on his shoulder, Marshall looked at him again.
"I'm sure she'll receive the care she needs," he said with a sad smile.
Marshall nodded, but he couldn't find the will to say anything at that moment.
"Wait for Nielsen. He'll tell you more," Karl repeated.
"Or her mother," the other man said, understanding the reason Marshall was there. "She said she used to be a nurse in an intensive care unit."
Marshall nodded once again and shook both men's hands. He watched them go and then, finally, made his way into the hospital at a slow pace. He tried keeping a straight face, but what Karl had told him was making staying positive a lot harder. He had to remind himself again that Elsa had all the odds in her favour, but still fear and uncertainty were slowly convincing him otherwise.
"I was starting to think you had decided to leave," Kai said to him as soon as he walked into the waiting room.
He offered the older man a fake smile. "No, I just…" he tried to come up with something to say, but nothing came to mind.
"Hålkesen?"
Knowing how much Elsa loved her adoptive father, Marshall decided to use this moment to start building a better relationship with the man. Perhaps being honest could earn him some good points on his list. "I waited for one of the paramedics to exit the emergency room. He was an ex-colleague of mine."
"What do you know?" he asked, his fingers turning white as he held the green folder in his hands.
Marshall tried to erase any negative thoughts and did his best to transmit the man some calm before he answered, "She was immediately admitted into the ICU. We need to wait for Nielsen or some other doctor for more details."
Kai looked down and nodded. He checked the documents inside the folder, making sure he hadn't wrinkled them with his tight grip by mistake. "How serious do you think it is?"
For a moment, Marshall debated between telling the man the truth or not. He had no report nor official information to jump to any conclusion yet, but the whole situation rubbed him the wrong way. A simple infection wouldn't result in Elsa going straight into the ICU, of that he was certain. "I'm not sure…" But then again, what was the point of making the poor man worry? They had to wait, no matter what he said to him. "Karl didn't give much more information. It's hard to say."
Gerda felt a hand on her arm. A young nurse, only a couple of years older than Elsa, was gently trying to lead her out of the room. Though she knew it was a matter of time until she became a nuisance for the nurses and doctors working around her daughter, she wasn't at all surprised they were finally trying to pull her out of the room. It broke her heart to know she wouldn't be allowed to stay any longer after she had done her best trying to remain on a corner, out of their way, attentively watching them tend to Elsa and nothing else.
Thinking it was unfair for them to force her to leave, Gerda moved away from the girl and walked back into the corner, making sure she kept Elsa in sight. It only took a moment for the nurse to grab her arm once again. This time, the girl was asking her to follow her outside in a firm, yet understanding tone, and it made Gerda feel terrible for making her job harder.
"Gerda," Nielsen said, putting a hand on her shoulder while he helped the young nurse take her out of the room. "Gerda, stop." He repeated when she tried to pull her arm away and stay inside the room with the rest of the crew yet again. "They have to stabilise her and draw some tests. Time's crucial in these situations and you know it."
And she did. As soon as Elsa's blood pressure had plummeted in the ambulance, Gerda knew Elsa's recovery depended entirely on how fast they could get her some help. The paramedics' reaction had been on point and they had driven them straight into the closest medical facility, granting Elsa a more favourable chance of recovery; but still, her health was hanging in the balance and they couldn't waste time or energy on less important things.
"They have already started an IV treatment," Nielsen said, trying to appease his former colleague when they were outside the room. "I'll follow her case closely. She'll be alright."
"What about her powers?" Gerda asked when she finally found the courage to tear her gaze away from the open door that allowed her to see her unconscious daughter. "What if she wakes up and I'm not there?"
"I have no clue how her powers will react in this situation," Nielsen admitted. "But we'll manage. Let the team work. They're to be trusted. We, on the other hand, need to meet the director and let him know about Elsa. We can't risk any member of the staff getting hurt if things get out of control."
"What about—?"
"Gerda," Nielsen called her attention once again. "She needs medical care and we need to inform the person in charge about her body's possible reactions. You were not informed and Elsa burned your hand."
"It was a different situation." Gerda tried to object, trying to find a way to convince Nielsen not to alarm the director and the staff yet. She needed the crew to focus all their energy on Elsa, not her powers.
Putting both hands on her shoulders, he gently pushed her down the hallway. "Go to the waiting room, find Kai and meet me in the director's office."
"I promised her I wouldn't leave her," Gerda said, looking over her shoulder, trying in vain to keep Elsa in sight.
"She's unconscious, Gerda." He was getting more and more annoyed at having to repeat himself, and she knew it. She didn't take offence though. He was only doing what he thought was best for Elsa. "Please, let's take one step at a time. I'll make sure they let you stay with her."
When they were finally standing by the doors leading out of the ward, Gerda turned to Jonnas. Finally looking at him and letting him see the guilt she felt for having failed her daughter. "How didn't I see it?" she asked, knowing he was probably wondering the exact same thing.
"You cannot blame yourself," he said almost instantly. His frown and tightened lips showed he was as displeased with himself as much as Gerda was with herself.
The ticking of the clock on the waiting room seemed louder and more taunting with every passing minute, forcing Marshall not to throw one of his boots at it. He was certain Bjorgman wouldn't appreciate one of his outbursts at that moment. Not to mention he would probably be kicked out of the clinic and he'd then depend on the older man's goodwill to find out more about Elsa's health.
Several times he looked over in Kai's direction, hoping the man would start talking. At least to let him know if he was still welcomed to be sitting by his side or not. Though, to his disappointment, Kai had become an impenetrable wall as soon as the adrenaline of the situation had settled down and Marshall was certain there was nothing worth saying that could change his quiet, sombre demeanour.
Unsure of what to do to help pass the time, Marshall let his mind wander on everything that had happened in his life in the last few days. His conversation with Elsa in the mountain was still fresh and he was still coming up with questions to ask her. Even now he wondered what could happen inside the ICU or the clinic if her powers went on a rampage. The idea soon became unsettling, and so he shook his head to get rid of those mental scenarios.
The more he thought about her, the more anxious he became. He wanted to stay positive and think that they were only taking forever to give them some news because Elsa was already awake, and they were trying to make sure everything was in order before they gave them any news. But no matter how much he wished for that to be the case, deep down he knew Elsa's condition was a lot more serious than he wanted to believe.
"Hold— Hold this." Kai's voice pulled him from his thoughts and he felt something being laid on his lap.
Looking down, Marshall noticed that the green folder Kai had kept close to him at all times was now resting on his legs. He tried asking Kai why he was giving him the folder so suddenly, but by the time he looked in his direction Kai was already far from him, crossing the double glass doors that led to the wards. Through them, Marshall could see him hugging his wife in a tight embrace. The hug seemed to last a lifetime and by the time Gerda finally pulled apart, Marshall noticed fresh tears running down her cheeks.
Feeling it wasn't right to keep prying, he looked the other way and scrubbed his face with his good hand. He was trying in vain to ease his nerves while the guilt and anxiety were steadily creeping over. He had had several opportunities to help Elsa and do what was right — what his training demanded —, but he had been more concerned about Elsa accepting him and trusting him than he had been about taking care of the situation. First at her house when she cut her hand open, and then at his own place when Elsa had woken up with a fever. Time was important during these situations and he had given the infection all the time in the world to develop and do with Elsa what it pleased.
The negative feelings were starting to cloud his mind and he knew he needed to distract himself, he picked the folder in his hands and wondered what was inside of it. It was probably full of answers about Elsa's powers, her childhood and the way her body worked. It probably contained clinical studies and tests done to her through the years as well. His curious medical side begged him to open it and see what was inside. Find some more information about her. However, as soon as he gave it a second thought, he realised he did want to find out more about Elsa but not like that. He wanted to earn her full trust one day, and only then start learning more about her powers.
Just as he put his hand on top of the folder, keeping it closed; Kai called his name from the wards' door, requesting it. Marshal then hurried to where the old couple were to hand them the folder, and he took the opportunity to meet Gerda's eyes for the first time that evening. The woman, in return, tried her best to offer him a reassuring smile. But to their disappointment, it looked uncertain, doing nothing to appease Marshall's troubled mind.
He wanted to ask how serious Elsa's condition was and if there was anything he could do, but the words wouldn't come out. Deep down he knew he wasn't more than 'Elsa's friend from the mountain', almost a stranger for all they knew. The couple had no idea how much their daughter meant to him and any question might come out wrong. However, despite the fact he had only opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, the old woman seemed to understand the uncertainty he was feeling and nodded once, letting him know it was okay for him to say anything he wanted.
Finding the courage he dared ask, "Is she conscious?" It wasn't what he had meant to say, but the idea of Elsa being alone in an ICU room, unsure of what was going on, seemed more important at that moment than anything else.
Looking down, Gerda shook her head as she drew in a breath. "She passed out in the ambulance. They're trying to stabilise her. If they can't do it and her oxygen levels continue to drop they may have to sedate and intubate her."
Marshall opened and closed his mouth once again, wishing to apologise or say he should've done something. But the words were caught in the lump in his throat.
At that moment, Kai rubbed Gerda's shoulder and muttered something in his wife's ear, making Marshall feel like an outsider once again. When he finally found the strength, Marshall spoke again to let them know he'd be in the waiting room in case they needed him and left the couple on their own, knowing they probably needed to meet some doctors or hand in Elsa's medical records.
He walked back into the waiting room in silence and sat down with a heavy sigh on the small, uncomfortable seat. He leaned forward and kept his head low. Gerda hadn't said much, though it was enough to let him know Elsa's health was seriously compromised.
Walking back into the waiting room hours later, the first thing that Kai did was call the young man's name, hoping he had stayed true to his word and he had waited for him. The meeting with the director of the hospital had stretched for over two hours since it had taken a long time for Nielsen and them to convince the man they weren't pulling his leg and Elsa had, in fact, ice powers.
In all honesty, Kai couldn't blame the man. Having to explain to a third party Elsa's condition, and everything it entitled, made it all seem impossible — ridiculous even. But even though he understood the difficulty the man faced trying to understand what they were saying, he doubted there was a real need for them to retell the details about Elsa's powers over three times. The same way he thought it was unnecessary to read half the files in her medical record twice before he started to think they weren't there to waste his or anyone else's time.
Despite the fact it had taken a lot of convincing, at the end he had come around and accepted Elsa needed a private room and a crew of responsible nurses who could be trusted with the delicate information. He had agreed to move Elsa as soon as possible and he had even granted them the possibility to be present the following morning when they would explain to the nurses the situation as well as their responsibilities.
For all these reasons, Kai now needed a few more files, a couple of signatures from the police department and the police department's clearance of the list of people that were about to be informed. Ever since Elsa had been adopted, they had made sure to inform the police of any potential people who were to find out about her powers. The policemen involved in her case would check the names and background of the people in the list and make sure they had never worked in Romsdal or under any person who had close contact with Weselton. It wasn't a perfect system and there always existed the risk of some information being omitted, but it was the only thing they could do to make sure they could preserve Elsa's safety.
Taking in a deep breath, Kai knew that things were only starting and the following weeks would be a nerve wracking disaster, even if Elsa pulled through in the following days. Shutting his eyes tightly, he made an effort not to think too much about his daughter. He needed to stay grounded and made sure things were in order before morning came. Gerda was already taking care of the most difficult part, the least he could do was do his part right.
He looked around the room and sighed exasperatedly when he couldn't find Halkesen. He was about to walk out of the clinic, his mind set on getting a cab, when the young man's voice called his name. He was walking towards him with a water bottle in his hand. Before Kai had the chance to say anything, he offered him the bottle and briefly explained he had left the waiting room to buy the drink.
Kai accepted the bottle, suddenly realising how thirsty he was. It had been hours since he had had anything to eat or drink, and a sip of fresh water was a welcomed gift. He kept his eyes fixed on the tall man standing in front of him while he drank. He still had his reservations about the mountaineer and part of him felt it was wrong to involve him as much as he was about to do, but he had to admit his determination to stay and help were, as Nielsen had put: worth admiring.
Handing him back the bottle, Kai began instructing what he needed from him. "Would you mind taking me back home?"
Finally meeting his eyes, Marshall looked at him with a questioning look. "Is Elsa—" he tried to ask, but Kai interrupted him before some hope rose inside of him.
"Gerda's back in the ICU with her." He began moving, walking out the clinic. They had several things to attend to and the sooner they started moving, the sooner they could be back. Gesturing Marshall to follow, he continued, "They were about to move Elsa to a private room, but there was an emergency and they had to postpone it in order to keep a close eye on her blood pressure."
Kai was about to explain what they needed to do next when he noticed Marshall stop dead on his tracks, giving a scowl he turned to the double glass doors that led to the wards.
"What does it mean?"
"Hmm?" Marshall said, finally looking back at him. He was still frowning, doing nothing to hide his concern.
"The thing about her blood pressure… I know what it is," he clarified. He didn't know much about medicine. That had always been Gerda's thing. And he always relied on her for the detailed explanations and clarifications, but they haven't had much time to discuss what was exactly wrong with Elsa. All he knew so far was it was serious, and so far he had tried to remain uninformed of the details in order to be able to focus on the things he had to do. But he couldn't ignore Marshall's worry. "I just don't understand what it means in this situation. My wife and Jonnas left the office we were in as soon as they were informed."
He could see Marshall debating what to say. It wasn't like he had all the information and he was probably trying to come up with his own diagnosis. "My guess is she's suffering a generalised immune reaction. The inflammation throughout her body is causing her blood pressure to drop."
"Meaning?"
"Her body is trying to fight the infection damaging itself in the process."
He was downplaying it. A body fighting an infection didn't make people react the way everyone was reacting. "I may not understand a thing about medicine. But I can tell when you're keeping information from me. What does it really mean? Why is it a bad thing?"
Marshall ran his hand through his hair once, twice. All the meanwhile keeping his eyes fixed on the tiles at his feet. He scratched his beard before he finally answered. "In extreme cases, oxygen doesn't reach the organs, causing multiple organ failure. But I don't feel comfortable jumping to conclusions," the mountaineer quickly said. "I might be able to tell you more after they give you a full report."
He felt a lump caught up in his throat. Suddenly he wished he had remained ignorant just a bit longer. At least long enough to be able to exit the hospital without the need to run back into the ward and keep his wife and daughter company, even against the staff's orders. "Will she be okay? he asked in a small voice.
"It's difficult to say, Mr Bjorgman." He looked down again, and Kai knew he wasn't brave enough to face him.
Trying in vain to hide the heartache the situation caused him, Kai turned around and began walking out the building. "I need to pick up a few things from home and call my son. Please, follow me."
To see clothes scattered all over Anna's room wasn't an unusual sight. Idunn had gotten used to it through the years and, as her daughter grew older, she had stopped trying to persuade her to do something about it. As long as Anna kept her room and clothes clean, then Idunn saw no reason in arguing about the mess anymore. But even if she was used to it, whenever Anna took upon herself to make a mess of her room early in the morning or late at night — like she was doing at that moment — it usually meant there was something going on in her daughter's life. The last time Anna had done something similar, she had been looking for a coat to give to Elsa as a gift. And now, Idunn wondered what she was about to find out.
Trying to avoid the different piles of clothes, which to her surprise were arranged by colour this time, Idunn walked into Anna's room and sat on her bed. Anna kept rummaging inside her wardrobe unaware of her presence, giving Idunn some extra time to think what could be going on.
The first thought that came to her mind was that Anna was already starting to pack some of her things. They hadn't talked about her and Kristoff moving together since the couple announced it a few days before, but Idunn knew they were already trying to find an apartment. It wouldn't come to a surprise that, perhaps, she'd start spending a lot more time in Kristoff's apartment until they found one they could call their own. And she could see Anna taking several changes of clothes to his flat for the time being.
The news about them moving in together had felt like a bucket of cold water for Idunn. Not because she disliked Kristoff or the idea of her younger daughter finding love and starting her own family, not in the least. But Anna and Kristoff's announcement had taken place the very same day Elsa had walked away from her. That morning Agdar had done one of the stupidest things he could have done, pushing one daughter away, and in less than twelve hours Anna had come home with the news of her moving out of the house. Idunn had felt as if both her daughters were leaving, and she wasn't entirely sure how to deal with it.
But despite the way Idunn felt inside, she still wanted to make sure Anna felt all the love and support she had never felt from Agdar's family. "Are you packing part of your clothes, sweetheart?" Idunn asked, still unsure if that's what Anna was actually doing.
Startled by her mother's presence, Anna raised her head faster than she could take a step back, resulting in her hitting one of the shelves with the back of her head. Rubbing the pain away, she cursed her stupidity for a second before she turned around and said, "No, I was just… searching for some stuff."
"I was about to go to bed when I saw the mess from the door," Idunn explained, feeling guilty about startling Anna. "Do you need some help?"
"Not this time, mum."
Her daughter smiled at her and it felt honest, but still Idunn could feel there was something bothering her, something she couldn't pinpoint. "Okay, then." She got up from the bed and bid her daughter goodnight, but before she left Anna stopped her.
"Wait. Actually, I do," she said, suddenly changing her mind. "Do you remember when was the last time I wore my Midnight Choir hoodie?"
"Your what?"
"This old grey hoodie I bought at a bar gig a couple of years ago," Anna explained, picking up a few grey clothes from a pile and examining them.
"When did you go to a bar gig?" Idunn asked, unsure what Anna was talking about.
"I was a couple of years ago." She threw the clothes in the pile again and began throwing more things over her shoulder from the wardrobe as she spoke. "Now that I think about it, I'm not entirely sure I told you I was going."
"It's one of those things that would have made me ground you if I found out at the time?" Idunn took a deep breath, knowing that was exactly the case.
"Yeah, probably it is," Anna laughed nervously. "I was in secondary school at the time."
"Anna…" Idunn warned, but soon realised there was no reason to nag her for something that had happened years before. She no longer had a said in where she chose to go or do.
"Anyway, as I was saying," Anna said, stepping away from the wardrobe once again. "It's a grey hoodie. Black letters?"
Idunn walked into the room again, looking at the pile of grey clothes as she tried to remember the hoodie Anna was talking about. "She believed she knew which hoodie she was talking about, but she couldn't remember the last time she had seen Anna wearing it. It wasn't very good quality and it was well worn. It was definitely something Anna didn't wear when she had to go to university. "The last time you wore it…" Idunn wondered out loud. "Are you sure you didn't give it away?"
"No, I didn't."
"It's been a long time since I last saw you wear it." But for some reason, Idunn had the idea that she had taken the garment somewhere.
"I have the same feeling. It's been a really long time since I last wore it…" Anna sat down in bed to rest her legs as she kept thinking.
Idunn picked one of the other well worn hoodies Anna had lying around, just to make sure it wasn't the one she was thinking about, and looked at it. As soon as she did, the memory of her, standing in Anna's room came back to her. Elsa had been downstairs, wet to the bone, and she debated with herself which hoodie was best to give to her.
"Are you okay?" Anna asked, making Idunn realise she hadn't moved or talked in over a minute.
"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" She said in a hurry, folding the hoodie and leaving it on the bed. "It's been a really long time since I last saw it. Perhaps you did give it away and you merely forgot."
"That would make this even more strange," Anna said in a low voice.
Something told Idunn she hadn't meant for her to listen, and she wondered what had happened for Anna to be so concerned about the hoodie. Deep down, Idunn could only hope Elsa hadn't been wearing it around her. But since keeping their meeting a secret had been Elsa's idea, Idunn thought she wouldn't make such a mistake.
Idunn was about to excuse herself, hoping Anna wouldn't notice how uncomfortable she was, when the line phone began to ring.
"It's quite late for a phone call, isn't it?" Anna said, wondering who could be calling them past midnight.
"It is, isn't it?" Idunn agreed, hoping it wasn't someone calling for business. Agdar had just gone to bed and she was not in the mood to deal with them. "Could you pick up, dear?" Idunn said, hoping to avoid the call and use the opportunity to go to bed before Anna noticed there was a t-shirt and a pair of jeans missing from her wardrobe as well.
Anna nodded and walked to her father's study where the line phone was.
Idunn waited a moment before she left her daughter's room and headed to her own bedroom. She had to walk by her husband's study and she didn't want Anna to call her. She had no intention of talking business and much less of waking Agdar up. Their relationship had been going on a rough patch over the last few days, and she wasn't in the right mood to deal with Agdar's foul mood even if the ones waking him up were his business partners.
However, on her way to the bedroom she heard Anna's worried voice from the study. This made her stop on her tracks and stay alert, just in case Anna needed her.
"Wait, hang on. I can't understand a thing you're saying," Anna said over the phone. "What do you mean? Kristoff, please tell me—" There was a pause, she was attentively listening to whatever Kristoff was saying. "Yes. I saw her this afternoon."
Her? Anna had visited Elsa that afternoon. She had talked about it only a couple of hours before, over dinner. And now that she could hear the worry in her daughter's voice, Idunn feared something serious had happened. "Anna?" she called her daughter's name, hoping she'd share what was going on.
Anna ignored her and simply continued her conversation. "Are you there already? But I don't under— what happened?"
"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Idunn insisted.
"I'll be there in a few minutes." She promised and hung up the phone. She then hurried to her bedroom which she exited a second later with a jacket in hand. Ignoring her mother's questioning look she simply said, "I've got to go, mum. I'm taking your car."
"What? At this hour?" Idunn looked at the clock and realised it was almost one. "Anna, what's going on?"
"Elsa's in hospital."
"What?"
"I don't know much." She said with a pained expression, clearly worried for her sister's wellbeing. "I need to go see Kristoff. I couldn't understand a thing he was saying."
"Do you need me to go with you?" Idunn hoped Anna would agree. She knew she wouldn't be welcome into Elsa's room but at least she wanted to be there in case she was needed.
"No," Anna said as she walked down the stairs. "I'll be back in a couple of hours."
Idunn heard the door shut behind her daughter and suddenly the house became incredibly quiet. She felt her heart racing and she knew there was no way she'd be able to sleep until Anna returned or called.
Anna got out of the car, unsure how she had gotten to the clinic so fast. She rushed to the main doors not knowing what to expect. Kristoff had been clearly distressed over the phone. His voice quivering and unable to really explain what was going on. The only things she had made out from the call was the name of the clinic, Elsa's name and something about his father calling him. The rest of the things he had tried to say hadn't made much sense since he had tried to explain more than one thing at once. His breathing was agitated, letting Anna know he had probably been running.
All Anna knew for certain was something serious had happened. Kristoff was a level headed man and he could keep somewhat calm in difficult situations, acting with precision and being able to think under stress. Of course, that was when the situation didn't involve his family. No matter how rational he was, his family meant more to him than any other thing, making it hard for him to think straight whenever they were the ones in trouble. He had been alone too long as a kid and there was nothing he wanted more than to keep his family intact.
"Kristoff?" Anna called his name as soon as she entered the waiting room, hoping she hadn't raised her voice too loud. There weren't many people, but they all had their own problems to deal with.
"Anna," Kristoff said, standing up from his seat in the far corner, close to the payphone.
The tight feeling in the pit of her stomach became almost unbearable when she noticed he was still wearing his work clothes and his eyes were red. Whatever had happened had forced him out of the house in a hurry. "Kristoff?" she said his name as she got closer, unsure if she wanted to know what was going on. "Don't scare me, please."
Kristoff wrapped her in a hug, almost crushing her bones. Hiding his face in the crook of her neck, he held tight for a few seconds before he said in a trembling voice, "She's in critical care. I don't know what's wrong with her."
Anna held him in her arms, trying to transmit as much love and comfort as possible. She wasn't sure if it was the surprise of seeing him so vulnerable, but somehow she still felt under control, not allowing her own anxiety to make the situation worse. And it was a good thing, one of them needed to stay grounded to be able to talk to the woman at the reception.
"Where are your parents?" she asked, putting some distance between them when he seemed more relaxed.
"I haven't seen them yet," he said, as he let his body fall on the seat behind him. "And the receptionist won't tell me anything."
"Who called you?"
"My dad," he said, looking over the reception as if debating to go talk to the woman once again. "He said Elsa was in critical condition and that he'd meet me here. As soon as he hung up I rushed to the clinic. I called home when I couldn't find him here but he didn't pick up either."
He was getting more agitated once again, and Anna couldn't blame him. He had probably just gotten home from work when he received the call and no one had really told him anything. The idea of Elsa being admitted into critical care made Anna's hands tremble as she couldn't get rid of her sister's pained expression from earlier out of her head, but she had to remain calm to help him.
"Kristoff, it's okay," she said, trying to sound a lot more optimistic than the situation was making her feel. "It's going to be okay. Maybe they're in a room with her. Maybe she's not in the ICU right now. Perhaps I can explain the situation to the receptionist. She might tell us more." Anna continued when she realised he was under too much stress to think positively.
After a minute of silence, Kristoff turned to her. "Maybe you're right," he said with something akin to shame. "I had a long day and I had just drifted off to sleep on the couch when dad called. Maybe I'm overreacting. I'm sorry."
Wrapping her arms around him, Anna kissed his shoulder and said, "Don't apologise, honey. Are you sure she's here? I mean in this clinic?"
"The receptionist told me she was admitted into the ICU earlier today but nothing else. She has orders of— I don't know. I couldn't understand. I was furious at dad for not being here." Kristoff confessed. It was clear he was still shaken by everything that had happened and Anna couldn't blame him.
"Okay. Let me talk to her maybe I can—" She tried to say, but was interrupted by Kai's voice. The man had just arrived at the clinic and was now standing right in front of them.
"Kristoff, you're here already."
"Dad," Kristoff said, standing up and walking straight to his father.
"Is there any news?" Her father-in-law asked, sounding a lot more businesslike than she would have liked. His daughter was in critical care and he didn't seem to be shaken by it. Though it made her somewhat displeased, she hoped it meant things weren't as serious as they had thought.
"No." Kristoff said, clearly annoyed as well. "Where were you?"
"We had to pick up some files and documents." He showed Kristoff a thick folder. "Nielsen requested some more information about Elsa. I'll explain everything in due time."
"We?" Kristoff asked, still too concerned about his sister to pay attention to the folder. "Is mum with you? Has Elsa been all alone all this time?"
"No, no…" Kai put a hand on his son, trying to appease him before he disappeared into the wards to find his sister. "Calm down. Your mother's with her. Hålkesen's the one who has been helping me."
"Marshall?" Anna asked, taken aback.
With a nod of his head Kai said, "He's parking the car right now."
"Dad, what's going on?" It was clear Anna wasn't the only one not understanding a single thing that was happening. Kristoff seemed to know as well as she did that Kai and Marshall weren't on each other's good sides, making the situation a lot more confusing.
"Give me a moment, son." Kai said, when he noticed the receptionist signalling him to get closer. "I need to hand these in first."
"Dad!" Kristoff insisted.
"Ask Hålkesen!" He said before he talked with the receptionist in a low voice. He then turned to them once again and explained. "I need to make sure this gets to Nielsen or the director's hands exclusively."
Kristoff was about to follow him, but Anna stopped him by holding his arm. He looked back at her and then noticed Marshall had just walked into the waiting room.
When Marshall got closer they wasted no time in bombarding him with questions. It took a while, but after a few minutes, Marshall was able to explain to them the series of events that had taken place in the early evening.
"Marshall, what's truly going on?" Anna asked once he finished telling them about the papers and everything Kai had to arrange in the police station. She understood what he was doing there to an extent, and she could see the logic behind Kai and Gerda being forced to explain Elsa's powers to her doctors. But the main question was still unanswered.
"What happened to Elsa?" Kristoff asked plainly.
Taking a deep breath, Marshall gathered his thoughts before he said, "Elsa's fever was out of control and she had trouble breathing. According to what your father told me, they've already started an IV treatment and they're running some tests."
"Any guess what could be wrong with her?" Anna asked, not sure she understood what IV treatment meant.
"People call it blood poisoning," he tried to explain.
"It's just the name, right?" Anna said, a nervous chuckle following the question. "Her blood is not—"
"It's all because of the infection. It must have gotten in the bloodstream."
"It's not 'serious' serious, is it?" Kristoff said and Anna understood she wasn't the only one who had never heard of it.
"It might be, when not treated on time."
"Okay," Anna said, feeling a bit more optimistic than a moment before. "But she's being treated. She's in the ICU already. She'll be fine." But to her consternation, all Marshall did was avoid her eyes. "Marshall?"
"I can't say."
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Kristoff said suddenly. The stress of the last hours was finally catching up with him, making his patience run thin.
"Kristoff, please, calm down," Anna said, holding his arm in a useless attempt to calm him down.
"I haven't had the chance to talk to anyone. Not even your mother," Marshall said, raising his voice as well. "As long as her blood pressure is stable and they can treat the infection on time, she might recover. That's all I know."
"Might?" Anna said in a low voice. Even when he talked about the best scenario he was uncertain of the outcome.
"It can lead to a more serious condition, that's why."
"Serious as in—" Kristoff tried to ask, but he was interrupted by a nurse.
The young man had approached them in complete silence while they argued and they hadn't been aware of his presence until he was standing right next to them, addressing Kristoff. "Mr Bjorgman?" he said, making sure he was talking to the right person. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but your family is waiting for you in the director's office. I'll lead the way."
"I need you to come with me," Kristoff said to Anna.
Anna held his hand and nodded, letting him know she'd be by his and Elsa's side at all times.
"Only family members," the nurse said, unsure if he should let Anna come with them. "I was given strict orders."
"Elsa's our sister."
Anna smiled for the first time since she arrived at the clinic, feeling incredibly blessed Kristoff had come to accept she was as much Elsa's sister as he was her brother. She only wished she could have heard those words under different circumstances.
They both began to follow the nurse and right before they crossed the double glass doors, Anna turned around and looked at Marshall who had stayed standing still in his place. "What about Marshall?" Anna asked in a low voice, only for Kristoff to hear.
Kristoff looked at her and only shook his head, making it clear it wasn't wise to let him in. He wasn't sure what awaited them and there was a reason his parents and doctors had given the nurse the strict orders.
Even though this chapter took a while longer than I originally imagined, I have to admit I'm surprised to say I can upload it today. I had a couple of busy weeks, and whenever I had a few minutes off — waiting for a bus and such, I tried to write some scenes or dialogues. And somehow, that worked! Today I sat down with the idea of planning and writing some more scenes for this chapter and I realised I had almost the whole thing written down. I was gladly surprised, I have to say. Of course I wasted more time changing things I had already written than actually working on the final scene, so you may notice the last part feeling somewhat rushed? I'm not sure rushed is the word, but I'm pretty sure I'll revise that last scene in the future.
About the chapter, let me confess it was hard to choose whose perspective I wanted to write from, so I ended up making a mess. I couldn't just stay in only one character's head.
Anyway, I hope you guys liked this one as much as the previous one. And I promise to try my best to continue writing as much as possible so I don't keep you guys waiting.
As always let me know what you think. Feel free to point out any mistake I might have made, I have no knowledge of medicine besides what I read online, and even though I've read a LOT in the last few months, I always feel like I'm saying the wrong thing. For any of you who's curious about Elsa, what she's suffering from is called sepsis.
Big thank you to all of you who have already taken the time to leave a review in previous chapters! They make my day.
Take care. Read you soon!
