She starts looking around the house, opening rooms and looking behind curtains. Trying to find him because she knows he's nearby, she can feel it.
"You won't find me back there, Em." He says, adding in a little laugh, "You're really showing now, are you having twins?"
"You can see me?" She asks, twisting her head around.
"Are you going to abandon them like you did Henry?"
"Leave Henry out of this."
"He's my son." Neal says, "But fine, we won't talk about him. Let's talk about your boyfriend. Left you all alone, didn't he? That wasn't very nice of him."
"It was my choice."
"Yes, and a stupid one at that." Neal sighs, "Alright, I guess I'll hang up now. See you soon, beautiful." The line goes dead and she sinks to the floor, trembling fingers clinging to her phone.
He's likely gone by now, calling the police won't do much, calling Killian won't do much. So, she pulls out her phone and desperately tries to call Elsa. She doesn't answer, Anna doesn't answer, and neither does Ruby.
She's pacing when she feels a sharp pain in her stomach that has her hunching over and gripping the couch. Was that a contraction?
"Hey, Em." Her only response is a whimper as he walks up to her, "Told you I'd see you soon." Before she can do her best to get away from him, he slams something into her skull and she passes out.
She wakes up, head throbbing, seated at the kitchen table with her head leaning against the wall. It's dark out now, or mostly, the sky is a dark blue. She groans when she feels Neals' fingers grip her hair as he lifts her head up, placing an ice pack between the wall and her head.
"You probably have a concussion." He says softly, "Ice should help." He pats her knee and takes a seat across from her.
"Elsa…"
"She's fine. Anna and Ruby weren't there when I showed up." He smiles, "Elsa's my friend, why would I hurt her?" She wants to say something but she sucks in a breath when she's hit with another sharp pain.
"Uh-oh. Is it baby time?" He asks, "Seems a bit early."
"It is." She hisses, slapping his hand away when he reaches. He grabs her wrist, nails digging into her skin. He opens his mouth to speak but its cut off by her phone ringing next to her. It's Killian. He said he'd call when he was close.
"You better answer that." Neal says and when she reaches, he stops her, "On speaker." She nods, putting the phone on speaker before answering it. "I'll be quiet. Act natural." She feels something cold press into her leg and she knows it's a gun, so she nods her head and answers the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Swan. I'll be home soon." Killian says
"Okay…" She says softly, she wants to tell him not to come home, to turn around. She hopes his car breaks down.
"I'll probably pick up Will on the way if you don't mind."
"That's fine." She says, biting her lip when she feels that pain again. They're not close together, which is...good. He notices something is off.
"Are you okay, Swan?" He asks.
"Tired." She breathes. He's not buying it.
"Emma, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." It comes out like a whimper and she glances at Neal, who's already reaching for the end call button.
"Em-" Neal hangs up the phone and walks over, lifting Emma's pants leg, a small trickle of blood running down her leg.
"Well, great." He says and then lifts her out of her chair, he's surprisingly gentle as he carries her to the bathroom, setting her in the tub. Something about not ruining the expensive carpet. He kneels down beside her.
"I need a hospital." She breathes, closing her eyes when she feels another contraction, "Please."
"How about some water instead?" He asks, standing up. He leaves and comes back with a glass of water, crouching down by the tub and handing to her. She takes it. His hand comes up and he smooths her hair back.
"Remember when you were in labor with Henry?" He asks, "I tried so hard to help you but you wouldn't let me touch you. You were in so much pain, Em."
"If you call an ambulance, no one has to know it was you...you can leave before they get here."
"I'm not going to do that, Em." He sighs, "If you're having this kid, you're having it here. I'll help you."
"She won't live…" Emma cries, "Please-"
"She? It's a girl?" He asks, she nods.
"Yes."
"Wow." Neal breathes, "A girl. Maybe she'll be a whore like her mother."
"Neal please, just call for an ambulance." She says, squeezing her eyes shut as she feels another contraction.
"No." He says it firmly, "I have a bullet with your boyfriend's name on it."
"Please don't hurt him."
"It's either him or you, and you have a tiny person to think about."
"Please-"
"Begging is not going to help." He says with a shrug, "Should have thought about this before you spread your legs for him." He takes a washcloth, wetting it down in the sink before pressing it to her forehead, "Don't forget to breathe. You know, in with your nose, out with your mouth." She does, breathes deeply. This really hurts and she can feel her pants are soaked now, but she can't bring herself to look down. This baby cannot come right now.
"That's a good girl." He whispers, "That's it." He's back to being gentle, rubbing her back, touching her stomach, whispering encouragements in her ear. This would be sweet if it wasn't him.
"After I shoot him, I'll come back and help you, okay?" He presses a kiss to her forehead and walks out, closing the door behind him.
She must have passed out because she wakes up again sometime later. She's barely able to turn her head now. She can hear the door open and close.
"Emma!" Killian calls for her and then it starts, she hears a thump, shattering glass, someone else crashing through the door.
"What the hell?" Will shouts and she squeezes her eyes shut when she hears a gunshot. There are more sounds of fighting and then after too long, it's quiet.
The bathroom door is thrown open and then there's Killian, gently turning her chin to face him. He looks horrified as he takes her in. There's blood on his hand.
"You're bleeding." She says softly.
"It's okay. I'm okay."
"Neal-"
"Will knocked him out, he's calling for help right now."
"Get me out of this tub." She breathes, fingers clutching his shirt.
"I don't want to hurt-"
"Please." She whispers, she can hear the sirens already. He nods, taking her arms and looping them around his neck as he hooks one arm under her knees and the other around her back. He's never carried her like this, he's so warm…
"Can you call Elsa?" She asks softly, pressing her face into his neck as he walks down the stairs. "Make sure she's okay…"
"Yes." He says as he rounds the corner, he doesn't put her down, just sits on the couch with her in his lap. "Try and stay awake for me, love."
Though she did her best to stay awake like he asked, she must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew she was in a hospital bed. Her eyes stinging as they try to adjust to the light.
"You're awake," Killian says softly from beside her, brushing her hair behind her ear.
"The baby."
"She's okay." He says, "Though you have to stay in the hospital for a little while."
"Elsa?"
"She's okay. A little shaken up, she's talking to the police right now." Emma nods, she doesn't want to ask but she has to.
"What about Neal?"
"Well on his way to a very small prison cell." He brushes her hair back, "He can't hurt you anymore." He says pressing a kiss to her forehead. She runs her hand over her stomach, sucking in a breath. "Still feeling pain?" He asks, she nods. "I'll go find the doctor."
She has to be in this stupid hospital bed for six more weeks and she's already been here for two. She's reading her third book in two weeks, just doing it to pass the time, it's not even good. Elsa watches her from the chair closest to the door, laughing at how annoyed she looks.
She doesn't laugh when Emma throws the book at her head.
"Hey!" She says, "That's not very nice, missy." Elsa picks it up off the floor. The door opens and a nurse wheels in a cart of flowers, her room is already full, everything spilling into celebrity news outlets. And when she says everything, she means it. They know why she didn't like her picture being taken, why she never seemed to leave the house, never went with Killian anywhere. It was all because of Neal. A reporter had leaked old reports she made against him when they were together, that were later recanted because she couldn't bear the thought of him going to jail. They also leaked Henry.
Which really pissed off Regina. She wasn't happy about it either, and she was expecting some sort of backlash from crazy fans about her lack of mothering, but she received support and understanding with only a few criticizing headlines.
"More goodies?" Elsa asks, "Someone brought muffins." She smiles as she stands, grabbing one and sitting on the edge of the bed. "With all of these flowers, you can open your own flower shop."
"I'll think about it." She says reaching for the cart and grabbing a card off the first one. She's been writing down the names in a notebook and if they sent it with a return address, she writes that down too. She'll figure something out. Elsa plucks a little card off a basket of lilies.
"Glad to hear you're doing okay, Emma." She reads, "Signed Brennan, Adeline, and Liam Jones." Her head snaps up.
"Give me that," Emma says quickly and she hands it over.
"Oh, they sent a picture." Elsa says, "Ooooh."
"What?"
"Jones. Jones." She says. She hands it over and Emma looks at it. The boy looks about fifteen, but he looks like Killian, not a strong resemblance but it's there. The door opens and she quickly tucks it under her pillow. Elsa gives her a confused look, not yet connecting the dots but Emma sends her a look.
"What was that?" Killian asks.
"Nothing." She shrugs, "How was...uh...I don't remember what you went to."
"It was an interview." He says, still looking at her with a confused expression but he wipes it away and sits down. "And it was fine."
"Just fine?"
"Yes." He smiles. Elsa flops down across Emma's legs with a sigh.
"Are you okay?" Emma asks with a laugh.
"No."
"Why?"
"Anna's birthday is coming up and I don't know what to get her." She says, "She wants a puppy but we can't have pets in our apartment." Emma nods, eyes flicking to Killian, who's texting someone back.
"I have an idea." She smirks.
"Do tell," Elsa says, propping her head up on her elbow. Emma points at Killian, who hasn't looked up yet and Elsa's lips twist into a smile. "I think she'd have a heart attack."
"No," Killian says quickly when she tells him about it.
"Come ooonnn."
"Noooo."
"It will entertain me." She whines and he raises his eyebrows, snapping the highlighter in his hand closed and closing the script spread out in his lap.
"Are you that bored?"
"Yes." She nods, "All you have to do is sit there, Anna is the one who has to do the work."
"You want to give your friend a heart attack for her birthday?"
"It will entertain me."
"Should I be worried about what you consider entertainment, Swan?"
"Please?"
"Emma-"
"Kiiillliiiaaaannnn-"
"Stop it."
"Oooh, you know what would be even better than just you?" She asks and he tilts his head.
"Will."
"Will?"
"Yes." She nods, "Call himmmm-"
"I am not calling Will. What do I say, hey come to the hospital so you can be jumped by Emma's friend? No."
"It's her birthday."
"Yes, I know."
"Pleeeaaasssseeee."
"You are so whiney when you're drugged up, love." He shakes his head, but he's pulling out his phone and she claps her hands when she see's he's calling Will.