Today was one that Killian Jones would never forget. It was the latest on a long list of days that would remain forever in his memory thanks to their connection with Emma Swan. Most of the days on that list held happy memories, but not today. Today Emma had gotten hurt. It was nothing too serious, just a broken arm. It was actually a blessing that they'd made it through such a battle with the Snow Queen with that being the worst injury sustained, but that didn't make Killian feel any better. His Swan was in pain and there was nothing he could do to help her.
Emma had been thrown backwards by the Snow Queen's magic and she'd tried to catch herself but her plan had failed and she'd ended up in even worse shape. She'd stood back up, bravely facing the Snow Queen just long enough for a few threats to be made from both sides and then the Snow Queen had disappeared. As soon as she was gone, Emma collapsed to the ground again from the pain and held her arm against her stomach. He'd seen the pain in her eyes even before she'd hit the ground and he ran to her side, helping her back to her feet so that he could pick her up and carry her the, thankfully, short distance to the hospital.
It had taken some tense persuasion but he finally convinced Dr. Whale to let him stay in the room while the nurses sedated Emma so that she wouldn't feel it when they reset her bones so that they would heal properly.
He'd hated watching the whole process. Emma looked so weak and helpless laying there unconscious from whatever it was she was breathing in through the mask on her face. She had tried to mask the pain and fear she so clearly felt as they had brought her into the room and explained what they were going to do but she couldn't fool him. He saw all the emotions she tried so hard to hide behind her tough exterior. It wasn't hard to see what hid behind her eyes when they never left his. She kept her gaze locked on him until the drugs became too hard for her to fight and she drifted off to sleep.
Dr. Whale explained that the actual process of setting her bones was very simple and the anesthesia was simply so that Emma wouldn't feel the pain. Even with Dr. Whale's multiple reassurances, Killian couldn't help but worry about her. He was so used to her being strong that seeing her so broken had really shaken him. He knew that he wouldn't be able to relax until she was awake again and could reassure him herself.
The procedure was quick and Dr. Whale soon left to tend to other patients, leaving Killian and one of the nurses to wait for Emma to wake up. Killian paced back and forth across the room, too impatient to stand still. The nurse tried, and for the most part failed, to make conversation while they waited, the only thing she really managed to say was a warning to Killian about how the drugs may still affect Emma even as she woke up. Killian may have been warned, but nothing could prepare him for what he would experience over the next hour.
At first, neither Killian nor the nurse noticed that Emma was beginning to wake, only noticing when she began to speak.
"Where am I?" It was barely more than a hoarse whisper but it was enough to grab the attention of the others in the room.
"Emma!" Killian exclaimed, hurrying to her side. The nurse walked slowly to Emma's other side to keep a close eye on her as she found her way out of the drug-induced haze.
"Emma, love, you're in the hospital. You got hurt by the Snow Queen." Killian explained hurriedly as he grabbed the hand not encased in the plaster cast.
"Well hello there, handsome. And who might you be?" Emma said between a few laughs. What she was laughing at, Killian didn't know. It was hardly a day for laughter.
"Don't you know who I am?" He questioned, his voice beginning to shake.
"No but I certainly wish I did. What do you say we get to know each other? And then we can get to know each other, if you know what I mean."
Killian was confused to say the least. This was not the Emma Swan he knew, not even close. His Emma would never be so obvious or public with any such flirtations. He shot a worried glance at the nurse who to his surprise looked entirely unfazed and uninterested in what she was witnessing.
"Don't worry. Disorientation and a lack of self-control are both very common when coming out from anesthesia. She'll be back to normal soon. And if it helps, there's a good chance she won't even remember any of this. Just keep talking to her and the effects will wear off soon."
Don't worry. Right like he was going to be able to do that.
Killian turned his attention back to Emma, who now had quite the exaggerated pout on her face, she seemed quite unhappy to have been ignored.
"C'mon good lookin'. Don't you want to go back to my place and have some fun?"
He sat down in the chair next to where she was still laying so that he could get a little closer to her face.
"I don't think that's the best idea right now, love."
"Love? So I was right, you do want to have some fun. Damn your eyes so pretty, and so blue." She began to laugh more manically than he'd ever seen before, especially when nothing funny had been said or done. His eyes darted back to the nurse, looking for an explanation.
"The laughter's normal too." She said, her voice so flat and emotionless. She seemed to be in a hurry to move on to other activities.
Killian turned back to Emma yet again, trying to decide what to say that wouldn't lead to more of the same comments.
"We can talk about that later. You're hurt right n-"
"You really are so very pretty, whoever you are." Emma interrupted.
"It's me, love, Killian."
"Killian..." she sounded as if she were studying his name in her head. "That's kind of a funny name. You don't meet too many Killians 'round here these days, do ya? Well, you know what, Killian? You're really pretty. I wish I was as pretty as you." At this point, Emma had rolled somewhat onto her side and started to cry. "Why aren't I pretty like you?" she wailed.
"You're very pretty, Emma. You're the loveliest woman I know."
"Oh you're lying, just trying to make me feel better. You're so pretty. I bet you never have trouble finding someone to hook up with. Wait a second! Why do you have a hook instead of a hand? Who even are you, Captain Hook or something?"
"Look Emma, I think it'd just be best for you to lie back and rest for a little longer." Killian patted her shoulder and tried to get her to put her head back down. "You've had quite a long day and you're hurt. You need to relax so that you can heal."
"I don't want to rest. I feel fine. I want to stand up and I want to leave. And then I want you to come home with me so I can find out if your kissing matches well with your good looks."
"We'll talk about that later, **after you've got all your wits about you again."
"Oh why won't you loosen up a little bit. I'm just asking you to do what I know you want to. Don't try to lie to me. I know when people lie to me. It's my superpower. I'm like Superman, not the flying part... or the really strong part... but like the superpower part."
She pointed at Killian with the arm that was now covered by the cast as she said this. She finally noticed the white mass of plaster there and her expression became one of pure confusion.
"What's that? Why is there something hard on my arm? I want to bend my wrist. Take it off!"
"That's what I've been trying to tell you, love. You got hurt, a broken arm. I understand it's nothing serious. But the doctor said you will have to wear the cast for about 6 weeks while your bones heal."
"Six weeks! I have to wear this for six weeks? No! I don't want to. Bring the doctor here. I want to give him a piece of my mind."
"No Emma. You can't do that. You have to listen to him. He knows what he's doing. You really just need to lie back and rest now though, love."
Killian could see her eyes begin to grow heavy again and when she spoke again, her speech was slow and tired.
"No. I don't want to sleep... don't want to wear the cast... need to have words with the doc..." She fell asleep right in the middle of her word.
The nurse was long gone by this point so Killian couldn't ask her if Emma was supposed to sleep again or not. But if he was being honest, he didn't care. He was glad that ordeal was over. Now he just hoped that when she awoke again, she would be back to being the Emma Swan he knew and was growing to love. But for now he was just happy knowing she was safe, and at least now she had provided a happy memory to balance out the pain of that morning.