Silence

To Anna's agonising disappointment, life didn't grant her wish that day. Nor the day after. Nor the week that followed. Instead of having something to look forward to, the end of each day found her in bed wondering if her sister would pull through to see a new day at all.

Even when Elsa's health wasn't deteriorating at an alarming rate anymore, her condition did remain the same. And the few, almost imperceptible, changes Nielsen had detected during that time weren't enough to give the family a truly optimistic medical report. The IV treatment was still in place, doing its work accordingly but not helping fast enough, and the same could be said for the antibiotics. And as a result, Elsa's blood pressure continued to be low, forcing the medical team to keep Elsa in a coma and a respirator.

During the first three days, the only person allowed to see Elsa, besides the medical team, was Gerda. And true to her word, her mother-in-law had done nothing but stay by her daughter's side at all times. Keeping a close eye on any imperceptible change in her condition. In the days that came to pass, she had barely left Elsa's room. Only leaving to eat and bathe — as well as take short strolls to help her stiff, aching legs. Though, those breaks wouldn't amount to more than two or three hours a day. Making the rest of the family apprehensive about the woman's health as well. The worst part about those days, Anna noticed, was not being able to help Gerda, and the wait. The excruciating wait. Sitting by Kristoff's side in silence, unsure of what to say to one another, as they waited for a medical report or the chance to be allowed to see their sister.

It wasn't until the third day that the rest of the family was finally allowed to visit Elsa. At the beginning, Anna considered this good news. Finally being able to see Elsa could mean things were improving, but that was not the case either. The first visit was the most difficult. Seeing Elsa unconscious, unmoving and connected to more things than Anna could identify had made her realise how serious her condition was. It had only served to remind her and Kristoff they could lose their sister any minute. What was worse, the visits were short and barely gave them time to give Elsa any encouraging words. Even if she was unconscious, they didn't want to make her feel alone or left behind in any way. It pained Anna deeply to see Elsa in such a state, but there was little she could do. The only thing was to be patient and have faith Elsa would overcome this, the same way she had everything before.

The first week went by like that. At a slow, tormenting pace. Forcing Anna and Kristoff to balance their lives and their time at the hospital as best as they could. They had made everything in their power to visit as often as they were allowed, staying with their sister until they were asked to leave. Only leaving her side to allow Kai to spend some time with her as well, since the room the medical team had placed Elsa in was small, barely enough for two people to visit at a time.

Anna cursed under her breath as she got off the bus and hurried down the street towards the hospital. The bag on her back moved from side to side, making her books feel heavier than ever, but she didn't slow down. She was late. Again. And she was certain the nurses wouldn't let her stay in Elsa's room after visiting hours twice in a row.

With everything that had happened, Anna had missed the first few classes of her semester. She had stayed either at the hospital or at Kristoff's — whenever they were told to go home. And, not feeling in the mood to study or forcing herself to listen to hours on end about didactics and social studies, she had chosen to miss several lectures. However, as the days went by, and Elsa's health condition remained the same, she thought going back to class could help her get her mind off her sister for a couple of hours; and so, on the fifth day she returned to class.

The lectures did offer her a much needed distraction, helping her cope with what was going on. It also helped her feel a lot more tired when it was time to go to bed, helping her rest instead of worrying endlessly about what was to come. The only disadvantage she had found so far was trying to catch the bus before visiting hours started. They were only granted two hours to see Elsa each day, and Anna wouldn't forgive herself if she missed a visit.

She grabbed one of the straps and placed the bag on her shoulder more comfortably as she got to the hospital's main entrance. Too focused on getting there on time and getting the annoying bag to stop moving, she didn't look up when she entered, bumping into someone who was leaving just as she was entering the building. A hand caught her before she fell to the floor and she cursed again, trying to keep her balance before the heavy bag pulled her down. The strong hand that was still holding her asked if she was okay, and only then Anna realised she had run into no other than Marshall.

With a nod of her head, she apologised when she finally got a foothold. "I'm glad it's just you." She took her bag off her shoulders, giving her back a much needed rest, and leaving it on the floor while she spoke to the mountaineer. She had barely seen him in the last three days, and she was glad to finally get to talk to him. "The last thing I needed was hitting an old man or someone who was getting released from hospital."

"There's a reason people shouldn't run in these places."

Anna guessed it was a failed attempt on his part to make a joke, though his tone of voice seemed more serious than she had expected. Angrier even. And sadly, she had an idea why that was. "They didn't let you see her, did they?"

He snorted and looked over her head, trying to avoid her eyes as he answered, "Same old story. I'm not family."

Anna avoided his gaze as well. She felt bad for him as there wasn't much she could do about it. He had been coming to the hospital every day since Elsa had been admitted. The very same thing Kristoff and she had been doing, with the difference that he had never got further than the receptionist's desk. The first few days had been easier for him. No one was allowed to visit, so there wasn't much he could say or do. After the third day, though, when the doctors finally allowed the family to start visiting, he found himself being the only person forced to stay outside. Deep down, Anna felt it was unfair. The concept of family didn't really apply to Elsa as it did to the rest of the people in the wards. An exception could have easily been made for him. But so far, things still remained the same, and she could see he was getting more impatient as the days went by.

"I'm sorry, Marshmallow. I—"

"Could you please talk to Kai?" He said, lowering his gaze and allowing Anna to see how much he needed it.

"I don't think he has a say in it, Marshall. I think the hospital is being more restrictive given Elsa's… peculiar situation?" She hoped that was the case indeed. "Only five people in there know, after all."

"This is—'' He sighed, stopping whatever it was he wanted to say. He dragged a hand down his face and took one more deep breath. "You're late again. Go see her."

Anna could hear something akin to disappointment in his voice and for a moment she felt like explaining herself. Tell him she couldn't keep missing classes and that it wasn't her fault the bus was late; but thinking twice about it, she saw no reason to. She'd probably feel the same way if she hadn't been allowed to see her sister at all. "I could call you in the evening," she suggested instead. She still had his mother's phone number and she had already called a couple of times to let him know how Elsa's health was developing.

"I'm heading back to the mountain this evening."

Anna wanted to say it didn't matter, she could call him just the same. But she didn't get the chance as Marshall walked out the door before she could. Before he was out of sight, he insisted she went to see Elsa before the visiting hours were over once again.

Sighing tiredly, she picked her bag and walked to the main desk where the receptionist, Andrea, as she had recently learnt was called, was sitting. The woman offered Anna a sweet smile and allowed her into the wards. Anna smiled in return and then began walking the now familiar hallways in silence. Everyone so far had treated her so kindly, and she was glad for that. Everyday that went by without favourable news, Anna felt more on edge. There were days she was certain it would only take a person to raise their voice for her to start crying. Thinking about it only made her feel worse for Marshall. She was certain the mountaineer was feeling just the same; but instead of getting sweet smiles and reassuring words, all he got were 'noes'. Making up her mind at that moment, Anna decided she'd try to talk to Kai later. Perhaps there was something he could say to the administration that could grant Marshall the chance to see her, at least for a couple of minutes.

When she turned on the last corner that led straight to the ICU, she was surprised to see Kai and Kristoff outside the door that led into the unit. She expected them both to be inside by now.

Noticing Kristoff's long face when he looked up, all Anna could say was a faint 'Hi'. Something in his eyes told her she wouldn't like the reason they were out there. "Is everything okay?"

"We can't see her."

"What do you mean you can't see her?" She looked at her watch once again. She could understand why they wouldn't let her in. But Kristoff had been leaving work earlier to make sure he was at the hospital on time everyday.

Shaking his head, Kristoff sighed and rested his forearms on his knees. "Mum came out an hour or so ago. She said they're making sure Elsa's stable before we get to see her. She'll let us know when we can visit."

"Stable?" She looked from Kristoff to Kai, who was leaning against the opposite wall. "I thought her vital signs were steady."

"They are," Kai chipped in. "They're worried about her kidneys now. They aren't working properly."

Her father-in-law seemed to be in a pensive mood. And even though what he was saying sounded awful, he was calm enough to make Anna's worry dissipate, if only for just a brief moment. "Not working…" she repeated. The words finally sinking in. "What does it mean?"

"She's getting worse," Kristoff said in a thick voice, surprising not only Anna but Kai as well.

"Your mother didn't say so, Kristoff." Kai said, straightening his back and waiting for Kristoff to look at him before he continued. "This was something they expected to happen at some point if she didn't improve in the first week. She isn't getting worse."

"Her organs are failing. How isn't it worse?"

"I think Kai only wants you to stay positive," Anna said, turning to Kai once again for a confirmation. "She'll be okay… right?"

Before Kai could answer, though, Kristoff crossed his arms and said, "There's only so much a body can stand."

"Kristoff, please…" Kai tried to transmit some calmness, but Anna could hear the tremor in his voice.

"Why aren't you taking this seriously?" Kristoff countered, mad at his father's sudden indifferent demeanour. "You saw mum too. You must have noticed the worry written all over her face."

"Your mother is overwhelmed," Kai tried to rationalise. "Exhausted."

Anna nodded absentmindedly. She had noticed how overtired Gerda looked the last two times she had seen her. Older she'd even dare say.

"It doesn't make the situation any less serious," Kristoff continued, his voice rising slightly. "Any less real."

"Kristoff, could you please—" Kai hissed as he turned towards the glass door that separated them from the ICU.

"All the things she endured, and for what?"

Anna knew Kristoff was finally letting his worries take control for once. He had remained too calm, too controlled during the whole week, but she now could see the hard shell was starting to break.

"She doesn't deserve to go like this," he said when neither Kai nor she could offer him an answer. His voice barely over a whisper, breaking Anna's heart. It was the first time, since that first night, someone from the family dared say out loud what they most feared. "It's so fucking unfair."

Anna dropped her gaze, unable to do more than dwell on Kristoff's words, feeling her heart constricting inside her chest. Her eyes brimmed with tears at the thought. It was unfair. A life full of pain, only to end when she was finally beginning to find some purpose.

"She won't go." Kai's voice pulled Anna from her thoughts. "Not now. Not like this." His certainty helped lessen the pain she felt in her heart, but it was not enough to make her feel any better. "Now, please, I beg you to stop talking nonsense."

Kristoff stayed quiet, his eyes fixed on the floor. Not daring to talk back anymore. Perhaps all he wanted was to believe in his father's words as well.

Wanting to do something about the gloomy atmosphere, Kai continued speaking, "Her wound is beginning to heal. The antibiotics seem to be working."

"Dad—" Kristoff tried to say in a broken voice, but he was interrupted by the director of the hospital, who at some point had approached them.

"Mr. Bjorgman," the man said. "Sorry to interrupt. May we speak to you for a minute?"

Kai turned to Kristoff and then Anna, a look of concern crossing his face, before he answered, "Yes, certainly."

"In my office, preferably."

Not liking where the conversation could lead, Kristoff stopped the doctor before he turned to leave. "Is my sister okay?"

"Last report I got said her condition remained the same. No need to alarm."

His gentle smile allowed Anna to take a deep breath. She wasn't sure when she had stopped breathing, awaiting his answer. She only hoped he was being honest and the conversation he was about to have with Kai had nothing to do with their sister.

"I'll be with you in a minute," Kai said to the doctor and when the man was out of sight, he turned to his son. "Kristoff," he called his attention. "Under no circumstances talk like this in front of your mother. Am I clear?"

Kristoff, still concerned about Elsa, didn't quite understand him at first. "Huh? Dad, don't you—"

"I don't care," Kai stopped him. Taking a deep breath, he ordered his ideas and continued, "Please, just don't say the things you just said to Gerda." His eyes sparkled with sadness under the fluorescent light. "Understand that you and Elsa are everything we've got. The idea of losing one of you…" He averted his eyes, tried to finish his idea but at the end just shook his head. Before Kristoff could say anything, he began walking down the hall towards the director's office. "I'll see what Dr. Landvik needs. Excuse me."

Taking a deep breath, Kai massaged his forehead and tried to ease some tension as he placed the state of account on top of the desk in front of him. It was more than obvious to say the day wasn't going like he had expected. The calendar marked day seven since Elsa had been hospitalised, and he would be lying if he said he hadn't been expecting the first week to mark the moment his daughter began to pull through. The few conversations he had had with Nielsen had given him hope the antibiotics would have done it's work properly by now. All he had hoped was for Elsa to show some improvement. A silver lining that could help him and Gerda remain sane.

To his crushing disappointment, the opposite was happening. Elsa was getting worse, or so it seemed. And now this. This ridiculous state of account. Given to him in the worst possible time. Only fifteen minutes after he had been talking with his son about the possibility of losing Elsa. Now he was expected to focus on this. And what made things worse, was knowing the man behind this was standing right in front of him. Dr. Landvik had called him into his office, but the man waiting inside next to him was no other than the owner of the clinic. And as soon as Kai had seen him sitting there, he knew he was going to get unwelcome news. He hadn't been mistaken.

Feeling it was time he showed his discontent, he tapped the document in front of him with his index finger and said, "This is absurd."

"Mr Bjorgman." Mr. Haugen, the current owner of the clinic, was the first to talk. "We are sorry to give you this news, but this is a private institution and your daughter is—"

"You already know how delicate my daughter's situation is. You cannot expect me to react to this kindly."

He had to admit it had been surprising it took this long for them to start talking about money. In a system where most of medical treatments were covered by the state, private clinics were there only to offer personalised treatment, catering to the patients needs in a completely different way. Exactly what the clinic was now doing for his daughter. It had been obvious from the start they were going to try and charge a disproportionate sum of money for their service.

"As I said before," Haugen explained. "It's our responsibility to inform you of our costs. A week has passed since Miss Bjorgman was brought here. It's only right that we diligently inform you."

I'd like to diligently smack you in the face, Kai thought but refrained from showing his emotions. He was having a hard time keeping a straight face, but he had no other option. He wouldn't allow this man to bankrupt his family.

"What about healthcare services?" They hadn't chosen the clinic after all. The paramedics had only brought Elsa to this place because the Central hospital in Trolheim had no beds in the ICU. As far as he knew, the clinic was only supplying what the state couldn't.

"As you may know, it only applies to public institutions."

Once again, Kai suppressed the need to groan. The man was pushing the limits of his already thin patience, and his conceited attitude was doing nothing to help him.

"If your daughter were in the insurance scheme we could arrange for it to cover her treatment, or at least part of it," Dr Landvik said, leaning forward and calling Kai's attention. It was clear he was aware that they were asking for an outrageous sum of money. And he seemed more willing to discuss it than Haugen. "Sadly, Mr Bjorgman, she is not. I double checked all the information myself."

Picking up a file from the desk, Haugen skimmed it and then turned to Kai once again. "She doesn't work, doesn't study…" He pretended to read once again for a brief moment before he said, "It's like she doesn't exist."

Kai knew this was a possibility. Elsa had lived far too long outside the system and it would only take a visit to the hospital, or a professional that wasn't Nielsen, for it to come to light. It was one of the main reasons he had insisted Elsa to study or find a job. Studying on her own didn't seem to take her far, and so he and Gerda had decided to desist on that plan. No matter how much they had wanted her to learn and exploit her capabilities, they knew they were overwhelming her. Finding a formal job had been the second option, but that had proven to be even harder. Now, he regretted not being more strict with her when she was younger, but who could blame him. The girl had lived her childhood in a prison, the last thing he could do was force her to do what she was not willing to.

Knowing there was no reason to dwell on the past, and knowing well they were expecting an answer, he said, "She very much exists. She's in your intensive care unit right this moment." He was mad. He was mad at the men in front of him —asking for more than he could give— and at himself as well. He couldn't help but feel he was failing Elsa. "What's more, the only reason she's here is because there weren't enough beds in the public hospital. This should be arranged as if it were a public institution."

Taking offence at Kai's demand, Haugen dropped the file on the desk and looked at him with narrowed eyes. "She may have entered the clinic under those circumstances, in which we were more than ready to offer free service." There was no doubt the man was not willing to let Kai get away with it. And it made him worry how far he could take this if they didn't reach an agreement. "However, only two hours after her admission, we were forced to isolate her in a private room and allocated several machines to her exclusive care. Her needs were then discussed, even when they seemed ridiculous, and she was admitted as a private patient. We are lending our facilities to her doctor, several nurses were relocated and requested to care for her while keeping her extremely peculiar condition a secret. A condition that could hurt my employees, no less. You cannot compare this to any other situation we have dealt with. She's not just another patient occupying a bed when the public hospitals are full."

And he couldn't. Nothing about Elsa was comparable to anything anyone had ever dealt with. Dragging a hand down his face, Kai tried to find something to say. Anything that could help him convince this man to help his family. But all his arguments came short. Not knowing what else to do, he chose to drop his defensive stance and appeal to the man's good predisposition. "Mr Haugen, please, try to put yourself in our shoes." He was begging now. "This is more than my family can pay. Even if we agreed, we don't have this kind of money."

Landvik's eyes softened as Kai spoke to Haugen and so he decided to intervene once again, "Mr Bjorgman, there seems to be a misunderstanding here. I don't believe Mr. Haugen expects you to pay anytime soon. This is merely informative."

Both Kai and Haugen looked at the director, and before Kai had the chance to ask more about the debt and payment, Haugen turned to him. "In case money is such a big issue…" He waited until he had Kai's undivided attention. "We may find an alternative."

Frowning, Kai wondered why the man, who seemed to be insulted by his request up until then, changed his tone of voice so suddenly. "Alternative?"

"Over the past four days I've been reading these reports." He picked up the papers scattered on the desk in front of him, and began ordering the different files one on top of the other. "The ones you gave Dr. Landvik," he clarified. "Elsa's case is one of the most intriguing things I've ever encountered, to be honest. Cryokinesis isn't something scientists have had the chance to study. The theories about it are scarce and borderline gibberish." He chuckled as he stopped to read one particular file. From his seat, Kai couldn't see what it was, but he didn't like the way he was speaking about Elsa's condition. "You may understand why I had such a hard time believing Landvik when he informed me of the situation."

"Yes…" he said, his voice barely over a whisper. Up until that meeting, Kai had had no idea Landvik had informed the owner of the clinic about Elsa's condition. Even less think the doctor had given the man access to her files. Now that he thought about it, Kai couldn't believe he hadn't thought of talking to Haugen himself. Thinking this wouldn't reach Landvik's bosses was a gruesome mistake. One he was certain he made out of distress and lack of sleep.

"But then again," Haugen continued. "Reading Elsa's clinic history makes me think we may have a once in a lifetime opportunity here."

Goosebumps erupted all over Kai's skin and clenched his fist tightly to stop it from shaking. He didn't need to keep listening to know what the madman in front of him was about to propose.

"I won't lie to you, I foresaw money could be an issue and I've already come up with an idea. A fair trade of… favours, we could call it.

Kai opened his eyes in surprise at that. Finally understanding what the man was doing. There was no doubt in Kai's mind Haugen had pumped up the price. From the very beginning, his aim had been Elsa, what he could learn from her. Kai failed at keeping his hands from shaking, his blood boiling at the realisation. And what made him even madder, was realising Haugen still didn't dare say it. He'd rather test him, see how far he was willing to go with his sickening idea before he did.

"Absolutely not." Kai didn't need to listen to him say it, though. He had heard enough.

"Mr. Bjorgman, hear me out. This could be beneficial for Elsa. And your family as well."

Landsvik turned to his boss, the look of disbelief on his face showing Kai he wasn't aware of Haugen's idea. Noticing this made Kai feel more at ease, at least for a brief moment.

"The chance to find out more about herself while avoiding a substantial debt is not something to reject on a whim," Haugen continued, his face as serene and impassive as it had been from the very beginning.

"Do not try to sugarcoat what you're suggesting." Kai stopped him. "I will not– And listen to me clearly…" Leaning forward, Kai placed one hand on top of the files Haugen had left on the desk once again and slowly dragged them closer to him. "On no account will I let you experiment on my daughter."

Leaning back on his chair, Haugen chuckled, trying to make the situation seem less serious. "I'm not talking about experimentation. I'm talking about collecting and analysing data. Information that we could later use to—"

No longer wanting to hear what he had to say, Kai stood up abruptly, making his chair fall in the process. "I thought I was being clear," he said, leaning with both hands on the desk.

Landvik stood up as well, wishing to put a stop to whatever he was about to do. "Mr. Bjorgman."

"Let me try and elucidate what I mean," Kai continued, ignoring the director. His eyes were fixed on the man sitting in front of him who was still leaning back on his chair, too comfortable for Kai's liking. "You experiment, run a test, or try to use her as a rat lab in any way, and I will not hesitate to put a bullet right between your eyes. Is that clearer?"

Landvik's face turned pale and he looked at his boss before he turned to Kai once again. "Mr Bjorgman, please, there is no need to—"

Before he could say whatever he was thinking, Haugen interrupted him. "I understand you're undergoing a lot of stress so I will not pressure you about this nor press charges for that threat." He still pretended to have the higher ground, but Kai noticed the flash of fear in his eyes when he threatened him. It was small, but he'd take it as a victory. "I apologise for suggesting a more plausible alternative. Given your and your wife's income, I thought it would be appreciated."

Kai had to admit the man was capable of keeping a straight face regardless, and he had a way with words that allowed him to make it sound as if everything was just a misunderstanding.

"In any case, the debt still stands."

Even if Kai didn't want to admit it, he had to accept it, Haugen still held the higher ground. Elsa was still under the clinic's care. The only positive thing was knowing the man wasn't a doctor treating Elsa directly. He was just a greedy bastard who wanted to exploit her situation. "I'll need a copy of this document detailing the costs. And an official bill, as well," Kai said, trying to pretend the cost didn't matter.

"Most certainly," he said with a small smile that only served to get Kai even more enraged. "I'll have one of our receptionists prepare it for you."

Kai turned to Landvik after that and noticed he had averted his eyes. It was clear he was ashamed of everything that was going on around him, unsure of what to do or whose side to take. Kai hoped he'd realise soon enough there was only one right side in all of this.

Nodding with his head to the files on the desk, Kai let him know he was taking those with him. To this, Landvik nodded and helped him gather all the paperwork related to Elsa he had lying around.

Kai picked everything up and headed towards the door, not wanting to deal with them any longer. He was about to close the door behind him when Haugen's voice called his attention one last time.

"Oh, and…" he stopped long enough for Kai to turn to look at him. "Mr Bjorgman, one last thing. Be aware that silence is expensive. It might be easy for us to sit and talk things through to reach a favourable agreement."

Favourable agreement couldn't be farther from the truth, but there was no reason to argue with the man anymore.

"The same isn't possible with the rest of the people in this clinic." Once again he was trying to scare and persuade him. "Perhaps making Elsa's condition known could be beneficial. It may cause a bit of noise at the beginning. Some controversy. But her chances to keep a lower profile are higher that way. Once gossip starts spreading around, it's hard to put a stop to it."

Kai knew he was threatening him back. They had to buy his silence. And perhaps everyone else's. The only problem was they had no money. "I'll need the invoice ready as soon as possible."

"Of course," he said with yet another smile, acting as if they had been speaking about the weather. "Have a nice day."

Kai closed the door behind him and began walking as fast as he could, without raising any suspicion, in the direction of the ICU. There was nothing he wanted more than to get in Elsa's room and stay by her side until this nightmare was over. But he knew it was impossible. There were so many things he had to take care of, and he didn't know where to begin. For the first time in years, he was feeling helpless. He needed to gather the few people he could trust and try to find a solution to their predicament. Even if what he needed to do was crystal clear, he didn't have a clue where he'd find the money.

When he got to the hall leading to the ICU, he was shocked to see Kristoff and Anna still sitting outside. There went his chances to see his daughter.

"Dad, I was getting worried," Kristoff said, breathing out in relief when he saw him. "I thought that perhaps– Is everything okay?"

Kai could see the worry written all over his son's face and felt terrible for being about to inflict even more pain on him. But he couldn't keep to himself what had happened inside the director's office. If something were to happen, he knew Kristoff would be the first to protect his sister, no matter the cost. Before he told him, though, he desperately needed some good news. Anything to help him cope and face the next few hours. "Did you get to see your sister?"

"Umm… No." Kristoff said, turning around to look at the still closed door. "Not yet. Mum didn't come out either."

Kai sighed, suddenly feeling too much pressure. Knowing Elsa was fighting for her life was nerve-racking on its own, Haugen's extortion was too much to bear. Not for the first time that week, Kai wished he could wake up and find out everything was just a nightmare. "Have you seen Nielsen?"

"He walked into the ICU a moment ago, right?" He turned to Anna, who nodded her head. She seemed to have noticed things were amiss as well. "Is everything okay?" Kristoff repeated.

"Ye—" Kai was about to lie, but changed his mind at the last second. He could be honest now even if he still needed to make a few phone calls. "No. I'm not okay. I'll call Anders. Once he arrives I need you to meet us outside. The two of you." He clarified addressing Anna as well. His daughter-in-law had proven to be trustworthy, and all the help they could get was welcome.

Now that she was getting involved, Anna stood up to be able to listen to him more clearly. "What's going on?"

"I'll let you know once Anders is here," Kai said in a lower tone of voice. "If you see Nielsen tell him I need to talk to him as well. Urgently." With that, he turned to leave. The sooner he got to talk to Anders, the better.

"What about mum?" Kristoff asked.

"Don't say anything to her about this yet. She's overwhelmed and Elsa needs her more."

"Kai, are you serious?"

Nielsen's voice was low and it carried something akin to disgust in its tone. A revulsion Anna shared with the man at that moment. She was glad the doctor had been the first to break the silence that had fallen on the small table. Once Kai had shared with them what had transpired in the director's office only an hour before, Anna had felt the need to ask the same question, but the last thing she wished for was getting on Kai's nerves when he was clearly so tense. She was also glad Kai had chosen to share their predicament with more people than just Kristoff and herself. She didn't feel qualified to deal with something as serious while her sister was still unconscious. There was no doubt Kristoff wasn't in the right mental state to deal with it either. None of them were.

"You haven't got many options," Anders said, calling the rest of the people's attention. He trusted his partner's word, and saw no reason wasting their time waiting for his answer. "It's either accept his sickening offer, or pay. I think it's more than clear that I agree with Kai on the matter, I'd rather shoot at him than let him do with Elsa what he pleases."

"What about finding a different hospital?" Anna said in a low, somewhat timid, voice. She wasn't sure her opinion would be taken seriously, but there was nothing she needed more than to get her sister as far away from that man as possible. The mere thought of someone running tests on Elsa made her blood run cold. She was relieved to know she was under Gerda's watchful eye at all times. "Once she's safe, we start legal actions. Isn't that possible?"

"Even though requesting a patient transfer is possible," Nielsen partially agreed. "I'd advise against it. There's no guarantee Central Hospital can meet Elsa's needs and there's a high risk she wouldn't make it, given her delicate health condition."

"We'll find a way to pay." Kristoff was the next to speak. He was leaning on the back of his chair, arms crossed. One look was enough to tell Anna he wouldn't accept anything that put his sister at risk.

"Kristoff, we're talking hundreds of thousands." Kai was as concerned as his son was, though he was trying to find an alternative. Something they could actually do.

"I'll sell my truck. We can sell your car too." He placed his arms on the table, leaning forward so his father could hear him without raising his voice too much. The café they were in was just a block away from the clinic and it was crowded, who knew how many of them worked for the man in question. "We'll ask for a loan or something. I could ask the guys at the factory to help me raise some money or something. I don't know. We'll find a way." His eyes brimmed with tears, the worry overwhelming him. "But I won't let you put her life at risk. And there's no way I'll let this madman lay a hand on her."

"What about pressing charges?" Nielsen asked, Anna's suggestion still lingering in his mind.

"As far as we know," Anders said. "The reunion was solely to discuss the money owed to the clinic. That's not illegal. There's no proof anything else happened."

"You said Landvik was there, wasn't he? He could declare against him," Nielsen insisted.

Picking up his coffee mug, Kai took a slow sip before placing it back down. He held it with both hands, fingers turning white. "As long as Elsa's in the ICU, Haugen knows we depend on him. The debt is real, after all. The blackmailing came after I denied him the chance to run tests on her."

"Then, that means paying is the only option, isn't it?" Anna asked.

The men bowed their heads and nodded. There weren't many alternatives left.

Placing a hand on Kai's shoulder, Anders tried to stay optimistic despite the feeling of injustice setting in. "I'm sure the guys at the station will try to help as well."

"No," Anna said, shaking her head. An idea had crossed her mind as soon as Kai had started talking about money, but she didn't want to say anything until she was certain they had run out of options. "My father's got the money. And a legal team, in case it's needed."

"Anna," Kai said, looking up. "It's more money than—"

"He's got the money, Kai. Trust me." Her family was wealthier than they imagined, after all. Anna was not naive though, she knew most of it belonged to the ArenCo and not her father exclusively, but she was certain he could arrange to pay for Elsa's treatment.

"It doesn't matter if he does." Kai didn't seem convinced of the idea, and Anna couldn't understand why he'd deny the help. "It's not right to—"

"Kai, take the money," Anders interrupted, before Anna could hear her father-in-law's reasoning. He seemed exasperated, almost mad at Kai. "It's only fair he starts giving something back to his bastard child."

Kai's brows knitted instantly, warning his partner he was crossing a line. "Anders, I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now."

"I'm sorry, what am I missing?" Nielsen asked, looking from Kai to Kristoff and finally Anna.

"Agdar Arendelle," Anders said, ignoring Kai's stare. "You know him?"

Nielsen nodded once the name rang a bell. "ArenCo owner… Isn't he?"

"He's Elsa's biological father."

"You're pulling my leg."

Sighing tiredly, Kai felt it was best he explained things better. "No, Nielsen, he isn't. Anna is Agdar's younger daughter and Elsa's sister."

Turning to Anna once again, Nielsen blinked a few times, trying to understand what they were telling him. "You mean… It doesn't matter right now." Shaking his head, he tried to focus on more important things. "Are you sure your father will help out?"

"Yes, I'm sure. As Anders said… It's only fair." Anna said, her head hanging low. She knew what was probably going through Nielsen's head. There was no doubt it was quite similar to Anders' opinion. But she couldn't blame him. What her parents had done was unforgivable and she was sure the doctor who had treated Elsa at her worst had more than one reason to despise her father. "I'll talk to him as soon as I see him."

"I'd suggest you go talk to him right this second," Anders proposed. "The sooner we buy this despicable man's silence the better."

"Come on," Kristoff said, opening his mouth for the first time in minutes. He stood up and offered Anna his hand to help her stand up as well. "I'll drive you to his office."

Nodding her head, Anna took his hand and stood up, ready to leave. Before they left the table, however, Nielsen stopped them. "I'll talk to Landvik in the meantime. He's a reasonable man, I'm sure. I'll see if there isn't a way to reduce costs."

Kai thanked him while Kristoff and Anna nodded.

"One more thing," he said. "Once this is settled, I'd like to talk to all of you, and Gerda as well, about Elsa's care if that's okay. What Haugen suggested is sickening and I'd like to find a way to make sure Elsa's treatment isn't impaired in any way."

Well, that happened. No matter how hard I try I keep finding ways to expand what originally were just a few lines in my time-line. This chapter is a month late for that reason. I had a lot of ideas I wanted to include and I was forced to spend some time rearranging things. I needed to include a few things now to be able to move the plot forwards and for a few things to make sense in the future.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you to all of you who left a comment, I love reading your thoughts and encouraging words. They make my day!

I hope you had a great time during the holidays.

Read you all soon and happy new year!