It was way too bright and it sounded like Killian had forgotten to turn the alarm off again. The constant beeping was annoying her. She just wanted to go back to sleep and stay warm in bed with her pirate on a lazy Sunday morning.
"Killian" she rasped out, then mentally frowned. Why was her throat so raw? As she slowly began to fully awaken, she felt pain all over her body. She wracked her brain trying to remember what had happened. She heard a whisper next to her and opened her eyes.
Just then Henry exclaimed, "Mom, you're awake."
She took in both Henry and Liam standing over her bed with wide smiles. She looked around the room for a moment and noticed it was just the three of them.
"Mom, you're ok. You are in the hospital but Dr. Whale said you would be ok." Liam spoke to her with quiet intensity and squeezed her hand. He was getting so tall and grown up and tears sprang to her eyes.
Emma spared a smile for her sons and then spoke, "Where is Brenna and your dad?" She did not miss the worried glance the two boys shared.
Henry hesitated, "Mom, Brenna is with Killian." Liam's eyes were tearing up and streaks of them were covering his cheeks. Emma immediately felt a pit in her stomach. "Liam, why don't you go get Dr. Whale" Henry said and Liam nodded and went to fetch the doctor.
"Henry, what happened to him" Emma asked but Henry just shook his head.
"Henry!" Emma was frantic now. Just then Dr. Whale came in with Liam trailing behind them.
"Emma, I am so glad to see you awake. How do you feel? Do you remember what happened?" he asked.
Emma thought for a moment, "I feel like I have been hit by a truck. The last thing I remember, we had a flat tire and Killian was changing it. Where is he?"
Dr. Whale cleared his throat. "Emma, you were hit by a truck. Well, you weren't physically hit by the truck, but according to the witness a truck hit your car while you were leaning against it. Luckily you just seem to have a mild concussion and some bruises. I would like to examine you just to check to make sure everything is still looking good."
Whale started his examination but Emma was tired of no one answering her question. She batted the hand that was currently waving a penlight in front of her face away. "Where. Is. Killian?" she gritted out through clenched teeth.
"Emma just let me..." he started but Emma was getting angrier by the second.
"NO! Someone in this room better tell me right this second where my husband is or so help me…" Emma yelled.
Henry, Liam and Whale spared a glance for each other and then Whale help up his hand to stop her rant. "Ok, you seem to be less worse for wear. The accident was not as kind to Killian. The way the truck hit, it pinned him underneath the car."
Emma paled considerably. Her mind was screaming and she felt like she was going to throw up at any second. Liam came beside her and put his hand in hers. She was so afraid to ask what she thought they were telling her. Tears began streaming down her face and she began shaking her head in denial of what Whale was saying.
Liam seemed to understand that she had thought his dad was gone and he told her, "Mom, he is alive."
Emma felt dizzy with the relief from that statement. "I want to see him now," she demanded.
Whale nodded, knowing there was no use in arguing with her. He went out into the hallway to fetch a wheelchair. When he brought it back in, Emma started to protest but thought better of it when her legs felt weak. If this would get her to Killian faster, she would comply.
The group set out down the hall towards the ICU unit. Emma felt like it was taking forever to get there. She wanted to see him before she asked how bad his injuries were and if he would recover. She choked back a sob on the thought of losing him.
They finally came to the room. She could hear Brenna's voice. It sounded like she was reading a book. As Emma listened closely, she could tell it was The Princess Bride. It had become one of Killian's favorite books to read to his children after she had introduced it to him. She could almost hear him saying "What's not to like love? It's got a dashing pirate and a beautiful princess in it." Once again her throat choked with emotion.
Brenna heard them and looked up, "Mom, you're all right! I was so worried. I am so sorry I was not there but dad…" She looked at her father and then back at her mother.
"Brenna, it is ok. He needed someone with him since I could not be here. Why don't you and the boys go get a snack?" She hugged her daughter and waited for her children to leave the room. She stared at Killian and could see that he was breathing. He only had a nose cannula in so that meant his lungs were ok.
"Whale, will he be ok?" She asked as Whale looked at the instruments and got readings from them.
Whale took a few seconds to gather his thoughts. "He has had pretty major trauma to his head. He had a lot of internal bleeding but we were able to get that under control and stitch up all the lacerated organs. His right leg is broken and he has several fractures in his left arm."
"So?" Emma interrupted.
"I believe that with rest and care, he will pull through. I can't remove him from ICU until he is awake and alert. His brain activity seems to have improved with Brenna's visit but he has not had any lucidity since you arrived at the ER. If he can wake up within the next day or so, he should make a full recovery." Whale took a few more notes in his chart.
"I want to stay with him until he does." Emma told him.
Whale just sighed. "I will make sure a comfortable chair is brought in for you. You need to rest as well Emma. I will leave you alone for a little bit." Emma nodded at him but did not do anything else to acknowledge what he said.
Emma took a deep breath then looked back at Killian. She took his hand gingerly in hers so as not to cause him any pain. She studied his face for a moment. It was battered and bruised. His lip was cut, dry and cracked. She could not see the cut on his forehead because there was a small white bandage covering it. His cheeks were both bruised and his left eye looked like David had punched him again. It was all she could do to keep from breaking down and sobbing but she knew the kids would be back in a moment so she held herself in check.
Sure enough, Henry, Liam and Brenna all came back a short time later.
"What did Dr. Whale say?" Henry asked hopefully.
Emma swallowed. "He said that Killian will be ok. We just have to wait for him to wake up and start teasing us again." Emma did not like lying to her children but she did not want to hurt Liam and Brenna.
"That's great!" Brenna gushed and hugged her mother again.
They had brought her some hospital hot chocolate and a snack. She took it gratefully and watched them while she ate and they talked quietly with each other.
Henry was already a grown man and had a great job in New York. He must have come home specifically for her. She knew he had a great girlfriend and was hoping that he would settle down with her and give her grandkids. Killian had been hinting to him and every time Henry would just blush and change the subject.
Liam, who had always been her shadow, was a tall 15 year old boy with blonde hair and her green eyes. She still thought of him as her little boy despite his reminders that he was not little anymore. They had always had so much in common. Liam adored his father but he really wanted to take over as town sheriff some day when she retired.
Then her eyes landed on Brenna. The 13 year old was the spitting image of her father. Dark raven locks framed her delicate face. Her ocean blue eyes had always held such wisdom and understanding. From the day she was born, Killian had been wrapped around her tiny fingers. Brenna was definitely the pirate's second in all things. She had a wild and free spirit. There had been so many times when she would awaken at night alone in bed. She would creep next door to the nursery to hear Killian singing to her. She would watch with love as he would lay her asleep in her crib, whispering "There little love."
"Mom?" Emma startled and looked up. Liam was kneeling next to her with his hand on her arm and looking worried. "Are you ok?" he asked.
Emma smiled. "I'm fine. Just remembering something. It is getting late. Henry, why don't you take Liam and Brenna home and you guys get some rest. I am going to stay here"
Henry nodded and her children prepared to leave. They said their goodbyes and just as they were leaving, Brenna turned back around. She handed Emma the book. "Read to him. He likes it" She smiled shyly and waved as she went out the door.
Emma looked down at the book in her hands. Killian had been delighted that the book had his signature catchphrase in it. When Emma had explained to him how much she had loved the book as a child he said "See, it was written in the stars, love. It was just telling you to wait for me." Then he kissed her on the forehead and tucked her snugly under his arms.
Emma grasped Killian's hand again and watched him, her thoughts churning. He was still so handsome, despite the gray beginning to creep into his hair at the temples. She had once been worried that he would stay forever young while she grew old and withered. He had never bothered to have his hand attached ever again after she had finally convinced him that she loved him for who he was and not his outward appearance. More often than not, he still chose to wear his fake hand rather than the hook, saving that for times when it was actually a useful tool. She began remembering that time so long ago.
He had finally come clean to her about his hand and the dealings with Rumple. He had done it because she had wanted to get Rumple to take away her magic and he knew what that meant. He had said that if telling her meant that he would lose her, but that she would still be alive, then he would do what needed to be done. She had been furious at him. Not because of Rumple but because he thought she cared that he had no hand. She had helped him deal with Rumple and then went off to stew about her pirate. She did not realize that he had thought that would mean she no longer wanted him. As soon as David called her, she had rushed to the docks to find him sitting forlornly on a bench.
"Hey" she said to him.
"Swan, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" he drawled in his lilting accent. He was clearly a little drunk.
"Killian, just come inside where it is warmer and we can talk after you have slept it off" Emma was trying to stay calm.
Killian bowed with a flourish, "As you wish" and she led the way to her apartment.
He had slept off the bender and then they had a full on heart to heart. By the end, they both knew that neither could live without the other. There were no longer any misconceptions.
Since that talk they had been together. It had not always been easy, but they were happy and they worked through their issues, together. Emma squeezed his hand again.
"Killian…if you can hear me, please come back. I need you to come back and hold me and tell me everything is going to be ok. I can't do this without you. You make me stronger. Our kids need you, too. I told you once that I could not lose you and I meant it then. But I mean it even more now. You told me that you were good at surviving, so I need you to do it one last time for me. Please Killian. Please." Emma could no longer stop the wracking sobs. She cried and cried until she felt like she had nothing left. It exhausted her so much that she fell asleep with her head on top of their clasped hands.
She awoke with a start. Killian's thumb was stroking the cheek laying against his hand. She looked up at him and saw that his eyes were open and he was staring at her.
"Hey beautiful, no handcuffs this time?" he joked as well as he could.
Emma jumped up and rained kisses on his face. She started to kiss him on the lips but then pulled back when he winced. "Sorry. You came back. You are going to be ok" She was rambling and ecstatic. She hugged him as delicately as she could. He brought his uninjured right arm up to hold her.
"Aye Emma. It's all right love, I'm not going anywhere." He sighed happily.
Emma pulled back and looked at him. After gently caressing his face, she sat back in her chair, gripping his hand again. "Whale said it was so bad and I was so worried."
"I'm sorry Emma. I promise not to scare you like that again my love." He smirked.
"You can't promise that and don't apologize." Emma huffed out and he chuckled. She just rolled her eyes at him.
"As you wish, m'lady" he said cheekily and gave a very slight nod of his head in a mock bow.
Emma just smiled widely. Whale and a nurse came in and checked on Killian, working around Emma as she refused to let go of his hand. They left and then their children came in.
"Daddy!" Brenna exclaimed as she practically launched herself at him. "We were so worried!" He hugged her as best he could and then said, "It's all right little love".
Liam hugged him next, "Dad I am so glad that you are awake!"
"Me too or your mum might have killed me" Killian joked and they all chuckled. He looked at Henry then and extended his hand for their normal handshake. There had come a point where Henry had decided he was too old for hugs from his step-dad.
Henry just looked at the hand and then reached down and hugged Killian. Emma and Killian's eyes met over Henry's shoulder and Emma just gave a small nod. Killian hugged Henry back. Henry said, "We would have missed you dearly" and quickly wiped his face to hide the tear that had escaped.
Just then, a food tray was brought in for Emma and Killian. Their children ran to get something from the café and then brought it back and everyone chatted amiably while they ate. Emma looked around at her little family and for the first time since waking up in the hospital, felt a sense of peace. They were all together and that was all that mattered. She felt Killian squeeze her hand and looked over at him.
He smiled and then said quietly so that only she could hear, "Emma, I will always come back for you. You have my heart and I could never leave without it. I will always survive as long as it is surviving so that I am with you. I love you sweetheart." He lifted their locked hands and placed a small kiss on hers.
"Eat your JELLO, Hook" she teasingly said, trying to once again hold back the flood of emotion he had brought out in her.
"As you wish" he smiled and spooned some of the red JELLO into his mouth.
Emma smiled. "I love you too, Killian"