So I know that a lot of you were not happy with what happened in the last chapter, and I wish that I could promise that only good things will happen, but we all know that isn't my style. There is a lot of angst coming up, so get ready.
I would like to thank ladywolf101 for being the best beta ever. Seriously, this chapter would not have happened without her.
Remember when I promised a major plot twist? Well, here you go...
Emma sat in one of the hospital chairs, and she held her head in her hands. She felt her mother slowly rub her back, while her father sat silently next to them. Her face was stained with tears, and her eyes were swollen and dry. She felt completely drained after crying for a lengthy period of time, even though she wasn't sure how long that was. She couldn't deal with the stress of waiting to hear news about her son anymore, and she was getting impatient. Her parents hadn't left her side, and she was grateful that they were here to support her. She needed them so much right now, and she couldn't bear the thought of being here alone.
"Emma," someone gently said, and she looked up. August stood in front of her with a tray of coffee cups in his hands. He was holding one out to her, and despite the fact that her stomach was rolling around, she accepted it. She took a small sip and leaned back in the chair. She sighed as she stared at the double doors at the end of the hallway. She couldn't help but wonder what was occurring back there.
Suddenly, they burst open and Dr. Whale entered the waiting room. Emma immediately stood, as did her companions. "How is he?" she blurted out before the doctor even made it to them.
He took a deep breath, and his eyes seemed to dart around. "I...I need to speak to you Miss Swan. In private."
She felt herself pale, and she knew that nothing good could come from this conversation that was about to happen. She gave a small nod before stepping forward. "Lead the way," she managed to squeak out. A hand grasped her shoulder, causing her to quickly turn around.
"We'll be right here, okay?" Snow told her. Emma gave a weak smile to the woman before following the doctor.
He led her through the double doors and stopped a ways down the hallway. She could hear the beeping and whir of machines coming from a room a few feet away from them. She figured that this was the room where Henry was, and she wanted to peek inside. Seeing her son in the operating state wasn't something she ever wanted to experience, but she was so desperate to look at him right now. She needed to catch even a glimpse of him. She looked around for a glass windowpane, but she wasn't so lucky. The door was closed and there was no way to see in.
"How is he?" she asked again, her voice small.
Dr. Whale folded his arms and sighed. "He's stable. It wasn't easy, either. He was showing signs of hypothermia, but we managed to bring his body temperature back to a normal level. Who's knows how long he was out there, but any longer and he might not have made it."
She held a hand against her mouth and shook her head. She couldn't think about her son dying. It was too painful. "And his other injuries?"
The doctor looked her in the eyes and shoved his hands in his pockets. "He is showing signs of TBI, or Traumatic Brain Injury. Currently it hasn't moved out of the moderate level, but it's quickly progressing. I estimate that he will be in the severe category in the next few hours."
She cleaned her jaw as she felt her eyes become wet. "Why...why do you say that?"
"Well, he's been unconscious for at least a few hours, meaning his brain is unable to properly respond to his surroundings. The longer this continues, the harder it will be for his brain to return to a normal state." He cleared his throat a few times. "There was a...significant amount of bleeding in his brain, no doubt due to the extreme injuries to his head. We managed to stop it, but we haven't been able to assess the complete damage yet. Not only that, but his skull was cracked. We believe that this caused his brain to swell. While we haven't been able to properly correct this, it has moved from a dangerous level."
She was quiet for a moment as she collected her thoughts. "So...how will these issues with his brain affect him?"
"They've already started." He looked at the ground and took a deep breath. "We almost lost him once. He had a seizure and wasn't responding to any of our efforts, and he made the bleeding and swelling worse. It almost completely shut him down. He had a second seizure about an hour later, and luckily that one didn't cause as much damage as the first. We have him being constantly monitored, because I am very concerned that he will have a stroke of some sort. I can't be sure what just yet, but I am very positive that we will see some definite long term effects as well."
"Is he in a coma?" she inquired, her voice shaky.
Dr. Whale took a few moments to answer. "Yes. He would have naturally fallen into one, which could have been devastating. I chose to put him in a medically induced one so that his brain could have time to heal."
"How long will it be until he wakes up?"
"It all depends on him. But right now, the prospects don't look very good. I have him hooked up to machines that keep his heart beating and make him breathe. He is completely dependent on them to keep him alive. His brain has been so damaged that it cannot take care of him right now. With the right treatment, however, I am hopeful that his brain will progress to a point where it is able to function again."
Emma took a deep breath as she tried to process all of this new information. "So what you're saying is that my son is not okay?"
The doctor nodded. "I wish that I could give you better news."
She closed her eyes and massaged her temples. This information was too much all at once. She couldn't handle what he was telling her about her son. Henry didn't deserve to be in this state, but there was nothing that she could do to help him right now. She had to rely on others to make sure that he was going to be okay. That was a lot to ask of someone who had hardly trusted anyone throughout her entire life.
"Thank you, Doctor," she whispered. She turned to leave, but was stopped when he called out to her.
"Miss Swan?"
"Yes?"
"There are a few more things that are necessary for the two of us to discuss."
She retreated back to him and folded her arms over her chest. "What is it?"
"Is...uh...everything alright at home?" he mumbled.
"Yes, why?" she asked, her eyebrow raised.
"Well, he had a large number of injuries inflicted to his head and face, primarily on the right side. These injuries seem to be caused by a fist-"
She raised her hand and silenced him. "Are you suggesting that I beat my son?" she growled. By the look on his face, she knew that those had been his original thoughts. "How dare you! I would never lay a finger on him!"
"I had to ask, I'm sorry! It's standard protocol when we take cases of abuse."
"I didn't do that to him!"
"Well someone did, Miss Swan. And the injuries he has received could cause permanent damage. It is imperative that we get to the bottom of this. And you are not only his mother, but you're the sheriff. It's your job to start building this case."
She nodded and looked at the ground. "You said the injuries were around the right side of his face?" The doctor gave her a quick nod, and she bit her lip. "I'm going to start an investigation. Is it possible for me to get a full medical report?"
"Yes. I have someone starting the paperwork right now, and I just need to contribute to it."
She was silent for a moment before she could find her voice again. "Can...can I...can I see him?"
Dr. Whale ran his fingers through his hair. "We need to move him into his own, private, room. But after that, I don't see how it would be a problem. I'll alert you as soon as he's ready for visitors."
"Thank you, Doctor," she said before she turned to leave. She walked down the hallway at a slow pace, her mind swimming with thoughts about her son and his condition. She felt like she was about to vomit, as the whole situation made her sick to her stomach. Someone had hurt her son to the point that he was on the brink of death. Her little boy was going to have permanent damage from this, and he hadn't done anything to deserve it. She wanted to see him more than anything, but she didn't know if she could bear the sight of him. This was all too much for her to handle.
She leaned against a wall and slowly slid to the floor. She brought her knees to her chest and leaned her forehead lean against them. Her hair hung around her face like a curtain, and it seemed to block out the rest of the world. She had been holding in her emotions while talking to the doctor, and now she couldn't do anything but give into them. Her tears rolled down her face as she shook with her sobs. She slightly rocked back and forth, and she cried for her son. She wept for the fact that he wasn't okay, and he wasn't about to be okay. She wished that she could take all of his suffering away and make it her own. She was supposed to be this amazing savior, but she couldn't even protect her own son. She felt like a failure, not only as a savior, but as a mother.
"Emma?" She chose to ignore the voice, and the person who was taking a seat next to her. "What happened?" She shook her head as she was pulled into someone's arms. She felt them run their fingers through her hair as they kissed her forehead. She buried the face in the crook of their neck as she gripped the fabric of their shirt.
"He's not okay...he's not okay..." she sobbed over and over again.
"Shh...I've got you...I'm here."
She looked up and she could see the pain in August's eyes. She knew that he was hurting for her more than anything. He hated seeing her in this state, and that was no secret. The comfort he was giving her right now was exactly what she needed, and she didn't want him to ever let go.
She felt him stand up and take her with him. She had no idea where they were headed, but she trusted him. She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand as they walked. She didn't want to appear weak.
Some double doors opened, and she found herself in the waiting room. Her eyes locked with her mother, who had risen to stand next to her father. Their faces were so pained as they looked at her, and she could tell that they were hurting for her.
"I found her sobbing in the hallway," August stated as they got closer.
"Oh, Emma," she heard Snow whisper before she was pulled into a tight embrace. She immediately pulled out of her mother's grip and walked away from the woman.
"Just, don't," she stated. "Not now."
"Emma, what-" the brunette started, but she was cut off when the blonde shook her head.
"I don't want to be comforted by you, okay? I can't deal with you right now after what you did." She pointed towards the hallway, her eyes dark. "It's your fault that he is in there right now, and he is far from okay. If you two hadn't been fighting in front of him, he wouldn't have run away. And if he didn't run away, he wouldn't have gotten hurt. So I'm blaming you two. And that is just something that you will have to deal with."
"Emma, we just want to be here for you," James said.
"Well I don't want anything to do with you right now. In fact, I just want to be alone." With that, she walked towards a chair across the room and sunk into it. She could feel her parents' eyes on her as she leaned forward and held her head in her hands. Right now she just needed a moment to be upset about her son. She didn't stop the tears that formed in her eyes and started to run down her cheeks. She was glad when no one else came near her, because she just needed to deal with this by herself. She wanted to handle her grief alone.
Snow, James, and August all took seats across the room from Emma, but they didn't tear their eyes away from her. Even though she wanted to be by herself, she wouldn't truly be alone. They had all vowed to never let that happen again.
Regina was flipping through a book when her phone rang. She checked the caller I.D. before answering, and she instantly paled. It was the hospital.
"Hello?" she barked into the phone without meaning to. She was just nervous about this call and what might be revealed through it.
"Your Majesty, there is a situation with your son down here. He just left the emergency room, and he is being transported into his own room as we speak."
Her eyes grew wide, and she let out a small gasp. "What happened?"
"He was badly beaten and nearly frozen to death."
She gripped the phone tightly in her hand. "How long has he been there?"
"A few hours."
"Why wasn't I contacted sooner?" she yelled, her anger overpowering her. "I am his mother!"
"Your Majesty, your name was removed from his emergency contact list months ago."
She froze. "Are you serious? They stooped that low?"
"No one is aware that I'm calling you. I just thought that you should know, since you raised him."
"Thank you," she whispered. She didn't even know who was calling, and yet this person was the first one who had cared about her at all in months. It was the first person who had tried to include her in her son's life.
"You didn't hear it from me." The call disconnected, and she let the phone fall from her hands.
Her son was badly hurt, and she was just now hearing about it. She was his mother, and yet, she had no idea about his well-being. She had spent years taking care of him, and now she didn't even know if he was okay or not. It was maddening. She deserved to be a part of his life. She had been there for him for his first ten years, and it wasn't fair that she was now cut off from him. She only wanted to love and protect him, but she couldn't even do that.
She stood and grabbed her coat, fully intending to go to the hospital. She was stopped when a realization flashed through her mind. She couldn't go there. She couldn't be with him. She would get thrown out the second she stepped through the doors. Being the Evil Queen had caused her to become an outcast and a menace to society. There was no way that she would be allowed to see her son. That wasn't fair. She couldn't even look at him without fearing for her safety. It wasn't fair that she had everything taken from her because of her title.
She sunk down into a chair and let her tears tumble down her face. She didn't know what she was going to do. She wanted to be there, but the Charmings would never allow it. But she did have a way.
Her hand flew across her desk and grabbed her mirror. She flipped it over so that she was looking at the genie.
"Show me Henry," she told her servant. She was going to get to see her son after all.
"Miss Swan, he's ready for visitors."
Emma looked up at the nurse and nodded. She slowly stood and wiped her face with the back of her hand. She took a few deep breaths before she started to follow the nurse. Three steps in, she heard some people following her. She whipped around and glared at her parents, who had stopped in their tracks.
"What do you think you're doing?" she spat as she narrowed her eyes.
"We don't want you to be alone," Snow told her, accompanied with a nod from James.
The blonde shook her head. "I'm still mad at you. Please just back off. I can't deal with you right now."
Her mother and father looked hurt by her statement, but they didn't fight her. They nodded, and she turned back towards the doors. She took a deep breath before she pushed through them and headed towards her son's room.
The walk seemed like it took a million years, but soon they found themselves standing outside a glass door. Emma could see a few large machines surrounding a bed, but it was impossible to gain a glimpse of her son. She clenched her jaw and pushed open the door, slightly frightened of what she would see inside. Her heart seemed to beat faster with every step that brought her closer to the bed. She wished that she could shut her eyes tightly and plug her ears, but she had to endure this torture. Just looking at this room made her nauseous. The beeping was a harsh reminder that her son was on life support, while the machines actually doing the job seemed to advertise that fact. She wanted to turn and run, but she had to face this. She had to see her son.
Emma gasped, and a hand flew to her mouth the instant she laid eyes on Henry.
He was so pale, and so still. He had so many wires and tubes connected to him that he looked like some sort of alien. The machines all displayed different readings, and she automatically scanned them. She found his heart monitor, which was slowly, but steadily, beating. That didn't give her much relief, as she knew that his heart wasn't beating on its own. There was a mask over his mouth and nose, and she knew that it was supplying him with oxygen. It was heartbreaking to know that he couldn't even breathe by himself.
She needed to sit down, because her knees felt weak. There was a chair next to his bed, and she sunk down into it. Her hand hadn't moved from her mouth as she sat there and stared at her son. She was barely able to hold herself together, and she feared that she would break down any second.
"Hi Henry," she whispered. She slowly grasped his hand in hers, and she noticed how cold his fingers still were. It was eerie. "You...you're really scaring me, kid. I can't lose you. I'm not strong enough. I need you, kid. You can't die on me. You have to get better, and you have to wake up. This can't be it for you." Tears were freely flowing down her face, but she didn't bother to stop them. "I promise that I'm going to find out who did this to you. I'm going to make them pay. No one will get away with hurting my son. No one." She bit her lip as she looked at his mangled face. It used to be so perfect, but someone had ruined it. She carefully brushed some hair out of his face and marveled at how much she actually loved this little boy. "Do you want to know a secret? On my twenty-eighth birthday, I bought myself a little cupcake. I put a candle in it and made a wish. Do you want to know what I wished for?" She paused as her face morphed into a smile. "I wished that I wouldn't be alone on my birthday. And do you know what happened a few seconds later?" She couldn't contain the small laugh that escaped her lips. "There was a little boy at my door who told me that he was my son. And I was shocked at first. I never thought I'd see you again. I marveled at how amazing you were. I had always imagined how you would look when you got older, and it was incredible to finally know. But I was still scared. You wanted me to come here with you, and I didn't know if I could do it. I had never had a family growing up, and here you wanted me to be a part of your life. I had thought that I had given up that opportunity when I gave you away. But I decided to give you a chance. I stayed so that I could be a part of your crazy world. And you know what? All of my favorite memories involve us working on Operation Cobra. Those were the best months of my life. I've never felt so close to someone before, and I really opened myself up to you. I let myself love you more than anything in the world. And then I decided to leave. Looking back, that has been the worst decision I have ever made. I had gotten scared of responsibility, and I decided to run, because that's all I had ever done. But when I was in your hospital room, and I thought you were dead, I knew that I loved you. And I couldn't believe that I had let that slip away. And then the curse broke, and I vowed to never let you go again." She felt herself gasp with small sobs. "You gave me so much, Henry. You taught me how to believe in things. You taught me how to trust myself. You showed me that it's okay to open myself up to others. You led me to my parents, and you taught me that family is the most important thing in my life. You're the real hero, Henry." She grasped his hand as hard as she dared. "You can't die, Henry. You have to be strong. You can't ever let go. Because I need you. I can't live without you. I would be lost without you. I love you so much, kid. So, so much."
She couldn't hold back anymore as her body started to shake with violent sobs. She didn't want to ever let go of her son, because she was afraid that if she did, she would lose him forever. She bent over her son and planted a light kiss on his forehead. As soon as she pulled away, one of the machines let out a loud ringing sound. She whipped her head around, frantically trying to determine what was wrong.
Regina had barely listened as Miss Swan had talked to Henry. It was sickening. That woman had no right to him. She hadn't been a part of his life for the first ten years, so why did she assume the responsibilities of motherhood? It made the queen angry. She should be the one sitting by her son's bed, not that blonde tramp. It wasn't fair at all.
She had been shocked to see his appearance. He looked so small and fragile in that bed, and she had been viciously reminded of his near death almost a year ago. At least this time it wasn't her fault that he was in this state. But that didn't ease her mind at all. He was still close to death. He couldn't survive without those machines. She didn't know what she would do if something did happen to her little boy.
She wasn't paying much attention to the mirror as Miss Swan kissed Henry's forehead. The sight was disgusting. However, something did cause her to be caught off guard. She had never expected to hear that ringing sound. And she knew that nothing good could come from it.
Her face paled and her eyes grew wide. Henry had to be okay. He just had to be.
Dr. Whale ran into the room and immediately checked the machines. He began to bark orders at nurses as the personnel rushed in. He spotted Emma and his eyes grew wide. "Get out of here, Miss Swan."
"What...no! I'm not leaving him!"
"Miss Swan, you need to stay out of the way," a nurse told her.
She felt herself being dragged out of the room by a nurse. She fought against him, but he was much stronger than her. As soon as they were out the door, she pried herself from his grip and flew to the window. She pressed herself against the glass as she watched the doctor and his assistants work.
They were viciously trying to restart Henry's heart. Dr. Whale looked distressed with every failure. Henry's body would lift off of the bed and slam back down every time they pumped electric shocks into his chest. He was no longer breathing, which only added to the frantic behaviors of the nurses. They were trying everything they could to keep him alive, but it seemed like all of their efforts were going to be in vain. The boy wasn't responding.
Emma could barely watch as her son was dying in front of her eyes, but she couldn't look away. She wanted to be with him, especially if these were his final moments. But she couldn't think like that. This couldn't be the end. He was only an eleven year old boy, and he had so much of his life ahead of him. He couldn't have it all ripped away in just an instant. She couldn't just stand here and watch as her son died. And yet, her eyes were glued to his limp body. She wanted to believe that this wasn't happening, but she couldn't do anything. Her parents would keep her out of that room, and even if she did make it in, the doctor and nurses would throw her out. All she could do was stand here and pray that he would live.
"Don't give up, Henry," she whispered to herself as she pressed her hands against the glass. "You can't leave just yet, kid. I know you're strong enough, just hold on."
The sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway as Snow and James ran towards her. They didn't stop until they were standing on either side of her. "What's going on? We heard the sirens, and everyone was rushing about. What happened?" her mother frantically asked.
"Do not let him go!" Dr. Whale shouted. Emma could hear his rough voice clearly, even though he was on the other side of a glass window. "We are not going to lose him!"
"Doctor, he's crashing!" a frantic nurse shouted.
Her parents collectively gasped as they heard the voices traveling through the glass barrier. Their eyes flew towards Henry's dying form, and the blonde could see the pain that flashed across their faces. They seemed frozen, as they didn't even attempt to make a move to comfort her. They were just in shock over what was happening to their grandson.
Regina could feel tears running down her face. Her knuckles were white, she was gripping the handle of her mirror so tightly. She was literally on the edge of her seat as she watched the scene unfold on the mirror's surface.
The hospital staff was desperately trying to keep Henry alive. She knew that they were doing all that they were able, but it wasn't enough. It wasn't good enough for her standards. Her son wasn't making any improvements, in fact, he seemed to be getting worse. And the frantic behavior coming from the doctor didn't help the situation in the slightest.
"Henry," she whispered to herself. She wished that she could be there with him. She wanted to hold his hand and comfort him. She wanted to be at his side if something did go wrong. If he didn't improve. She shook her head. She couldn't afford to think like that, as it would only put doubts in her mind. She had to be optimistic. She had to believe that his full recovery was completely possible. But, this was easier said than done. Judging from the chaos that existed in that hospital room, the boy was far from making a perfect recovery, let alone one at all.
She remembered the first time that he had been sick. It had just been a cold, but she had still panicked. She had taken him to the doctor multiple times to make sure that it wasn't life-threatening. She had given as much medication as she could. She had researched his symptoms and read books in order to make sure that she was doing everything possible to help her son. And even though she did everything right, it still wasn't what he needed. He stayed sick for a few days, and she became worried. She had spent every night rocking him until dawn, and she never left his side. She made sure that she was always there for him, because he needed her more than anything. And slowly he got better. There was no way to determine what the cause of his improvement was, but she had a good feeling about it. Her son was strong, and he could fight his own battles. He made himself better. But what he needed was support from his mother. Her love helped him recover from that cold. At least that's what she believed.
She should be there with him. He needed her, just like he had the first time he had been ill. He was strong enough to do this on his own, but he needed her love at this crucial moment. And she wasn't there to give it to him.
"Henry," she said again. She wished that he could hear her. "I love you so much. You can't give up. You have to push through this. I know that you're strong enough. You can't let go."
She hoped that he wouldn't slip away. But she wasn't so sure if he would actually make it.
Emma wanted to scream or hit something. Or both. But she just stood there and watched. All she could do was cry for her child and hope that he was going to make it. She had never been good at hoping and believing, but now was different. Now she was praying for her son.
Dr. Whale quickly worked to keep Henry's heart pumping. Emma couldn't tear her eyes away from the lifeless form on the bed. She stopped herself. She couldn't think of her son like that. He was alive, she just knew it. He wasn't gone just yet. It was Henry, after all. That kid never gave up, no matter what. He was the most determined and stubborn person Emma had ever met, and that was saying something. She knew that her son wouldn't give up this easily. He wouldn't let go without a fight. So why was he dying? It didn't make sense. This couldn't be how Henry's life ended. He couldn't lose this fight so easily. It just wasn't in his nature.
The boy's body crashed down onto the bed, and there was silence in the room. The doctor and nurses were still, and they looked at the machines as if they were waiting for something. Suddenly the room was filled with a monotone buzzing sound coming from the heart monitor. As everyone looked at the screen, faces fell across the room. There was an unmistakable flat line. There wasn't a heartbeat, which could only mean one thing.
Dr. Whale's hand flew to his mouth as he loudly cursed. He turned around and locked eyes with the Charmings. His expression was one of complete sorrow. He couldn't believe that he had failed. He couldn't believe that he hadn't been able to keep this little boy alive.
Regina let out a strangled scream when she realized what had happened. She threw the mirror away from her, and it shattered against the wall. She couldn't look at that sight anymore, and yet, it was still shooting through her mind like a cancer that can't be removed. She began to hyperventilate as her fingers curled into fists. Her body began to uncontrollably shake as she bit her lip. Her efforts were in vain, and a deep cry ripped from her throat. All of her grief and sorrow were mixed into this cry, but those feelings didn't escape her as easily as the sound had.
Henry was dead.
She had felt pain like this when Daniel had been ripped from her, but this was worse. This was her son who was gone. She had spent ten years of her life with him. She had cared for and loved him like no other before him. Her entire heart belonged to her precious little boy. Maybe that's why it felt like her heart was being crushed. Because he was the only thing keeping her alive anymore. He was the only purpose in her life. And if he was gone, she would be lost. She wouldn't know how to carry on anymore. She wouldn't know how to live.
She was loudly grieving now, and she laid her head on her arms. Tremors shook her body as she let this sorrow completely consume her. She would never be able to love again. Not after her heart had been crushed. Her life was over. There was no point in continuing on.
She was never going to see his bright eyes or playful smile again. She was never going to read him a story or tuck him into bed. She was never going to get to tell him how much she truly loved him. He wouldn't know how much she arcades about him. He wouldn't ever know that he was her entire world, and that he held the only key to her heart.
Her son, Henry, was gone forever. He was dead.
She felt like a part of her had died with him.
"NO!" Emma shrieked. "NO, NO, NO!" She brought her fist to the glass and began to hit it as hard as she could. Her screams were mixed with violent sobs, and her throat was quickly becoming raw. Her fingers were sore and her skin had started to split. And yet, she didn't stop. She just screamed louder and hit the glass harder.
Henry couldn't be dead. He just couldn't. He was only eleven years old, and he had so much of his life ahead of him. This just couldn't be IT for that little boy. He didn't deserve to have it all stolen from him so early in his life. She couldn't lose him so early in his life. She had just become a part of his life, and she had just gotten the chance to be his mother. She had missed so much, and finally she had truly believed that she would get all of that back. That hope had just disappeared so unfairly. She wanted to be his mother and love him unconditionally, and that should have been enough to keep him alive. That love should be enough. So why wasn't it?
This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't be happening. He wasn't dead, he just couldn't be. He had to be alive. He was just sleeping. But if that was the case, why did she feel like she was dying inside? Why did she feel like a part of her heart had been ripped out? Why did she feel like she was suffocating? She shouldn't be feeling this all-consuming sorrow if he was alive. She shouldn't be so distressed. Maybe he was...
He wasn't dead. He just WASN'T.
"Emma," someone whispered next to her. She couldn't even identify their voice, she was so consumed in her world of denial.
"Henry's not dead." Her voice was low and shaking.
"Emma-"
"HE'S NOT DEAD!" she yelled. "HE CAN'T BE!" She felt tears soaking her face as she started to shake. "My son just can't be dead." Someone grasped her shoulder, and she spun to face them. There was fire in her eyes as she twisted out of their grip. "Don't touch me," she spat.
Her mother had tears running down her face as she inched closer. "Emma, I'm so sorry-"
"He's not dead. Don't you dare tell me that he's dead, because he isn't."
"Emma, we understand how you're feeling. We know you're upset. But you can't deny this. It will just make it more painful when you do have to accept it," Snow quietly said.
"It's already painful!" she shouted as she gasped for air.
"I know how it feels to lose a child, Emma. I know how much it hurts," the brunette stated as she tried to hold back her own tears. "It makes you feel like you have nothing to live for anymore. You feel like a part of you has died with them. And there is no way you can ever replace that piece of your heart."
"But...he can't be gone. He's not ready to go. I'm...I'm not ready to lose him."
James stepped towards her. "That's understandable. But that doesn't mean that you can convince yourself that he's still alive. Like your mother said, it will only make it harder to deal with."
She ran her hands down her face. "You can't ask me to accept the fact that my son is dead. I can't do that."
Snow reached out to her. "Emma-"
"Get away from me," the blonde growled. "I can't do this right now."
"We just want to be here for you. We just want to comfort you and give you our love," she told her as she withdrew her hand.
"Maybe I don't want it!
"Don't say things like that-" James started, but he was cut off by the glare Emma shot his way.
"If he is dead...then it's your fault. You two drove him away. He ran away because he saw you fighting, and he would be alive if that never had happened. You two are to blame. You're the reason that he's...dead. You practically killed him."
Snow shook her head. "You're just angry and looking for someone to blame. We didn't do this."
"Yes you did! And now my son, your grandson, is dead because of your actions! How can you stand there and act like you're blameless. None of this would have happened without you two. And now I have to lose my son because my parents pushed him away, and he got hurt. How do you think that makes me feel?"
"Emma-" she tried.
"IT MAKES ME HATE YOU!" the blonde suddenly unleashed. "I HATE you for what you did. I HATE you for causing my son's death. I HATE you for making me lose Henry."
"Please don't do this, Emma. You're not thinking straight. You're just saying these things because you think they will make you feel better about what happened. But they won't. You need us right now, so don't push us away," James whispered. He looked over at his wife, who was holding a hand against her mouth and silently crying. "Don't try to hurt and blame us just because you're in pain. Let us be here for you."
He stretched his hand out to her, but she just shook her head. "No. I don't want your love or comfort. I don't need you. I can take care of myself. I don't want you here. I want to be alone."
"Emma, don't do this," he said.
"Go away."
"Please-" he begged.
"I said, GO AWAY!"
James froze at the venom in her words and the hate in her eyes. He knew that they had lost this battle against their daughter. He grabbed Snow and pulled her against him as he turned away from their little girl. He could feel his wife shaking as he started to walk them away. He paused for a moment and looked back at his baby girl, who hadn't moved at all.
"We love you so much, Emma, and we always will. Never forget that."
The blonde didn't move as she watched her parents walk away. She didn't think that they would give up so easily, but then again, she had been harsh. And she was glad. The anger running through her veins was over-powering, and she couldn't control it. She had to lash out, mainly because there wasn't much else that she could do.
The door to the room opened, and Dr. Whale slowly walked towards her. Her thoughts were disrupted by the sound of him clearing his voice. She whipped around to face him, and her eyes grew dark.
"Miss Swan, we did everything we could. I'm so sorry-"
"No, you didn't. He's dead because you were unable to save him," she stated, her voice cold and distant.
"I can assure you that we tried everything. He didn't survive because he wasn't strong enough to hold on any longer. That's no one's fault, it's just the way it is."
"But, someone is to blame. My parents are. You are. You all are the reason that he's gone."
"There is no specific reason why he died. It just happened. Pointing fingers isn't going to get you anywhere, Miss Swan. It's only going to cause more heartache. You're only going to make things worse if you push everyone away. Don't try to handle this alone. It's only going to make you suffer more than necessary."
"What do you know about suffering? You've never lost a child."
"I lost my brother multiple times. I loved him dearly, so I tried to bring him back to life after he had been killed. And every time I failed, my sorrow only grew. I just wanted him back, and that need consumed me. But you know what my problem was? Actually, what it still is." He paused, a distant look in his eyes. "I couldn't let go. I couldn't accept the reality that he was gone. And that has burdened me so heavily. I was willing to create a monster just so that my brother wouldn't leave me. I promise you that a life full of grief, denial, and anger will not make you happy. It only left me with a hole in my heart."
She stared at him after he had grown quiet. She had never really interacted I him before, and yet, the doctor was giving her comfort and advice that really stuck with her. There was something about his words that struck a chord within her. She realized how much pain she was putting herself through that was completely unnecessary.
"Thank you Doctor..." her voice faded as her eyes grew wide, "Frankenstein. You're Dr. Frankenstein."
"Just call me Victor. Now, your son is waiting for you. I'll give you some privacy."
She looked towards the room and felt a strong need overwhelm her. She had to get a final glimpse of her son. She couldn't carry on any longer without seeing him. She had to say goodbye to him, even if she never wanted to.
So much was running through her head. She was painfully aware of everything that was being ripped away. She was never going to have another top-secret mission with him. She wasn't going to get to meet him for hot chocolate at the diner. She wasn't going to feel him kick her in his sleep in the middle of the night. She wasn't going to have to sleep on the edge of the bed in order to accommodate his spread-out limbs. He wasn't going to become a knight like he always wanted to. He wasn't going to invent new operations for them to carry out. He wasn't going to get to laugh or tell stories as they sat around the dinner table together. He wasn't going to get to be with his family. She felt as if there was now a gaping hole in their lives, and one that only could be filled by a perfect little boy. She felt so empty without him. Her family was incomplete without him. They never would be whole again. She never would be whole again.
Time seemed to move slowly as she pushed open the door. The nurses moved out of her pathway as she traveled towards her son's still form. When she was standing next to his bed, she reached out her hand. Her fingers softly cupped his face, and her thumb ran across his cheek.
"I love you, Henry." She had whispered these words to him when she had thought he was dead almost a year ago. And then her true love's kiss had woken him up and saved him. She had broken his curse, and everyone's curse, with the love she had for her son. But it wouldn't be enough now. He had been taken away through natural means. True love could break any curse, but he wasn't cursed. He was just dead.
There was only one thing that she needed to do. She leaned forward and lightly pressed her lips against her son's forehead. As soon as she had completely the action, she felt a burst of energy travel through her lips and into Henry's forehead. It wasn't the same force that she had felt when she had woken him up before. This was something completely different.
Suddenly, he arched his back as his eyes flew open and he gasped. She pulled her lips away as his body crashed back down onto the bed. He gripped the sheets and took a few deep breaths as he stared at the ceiling. He was sweating, and his body seemed to shake. He was still pale and frail-looking, but he wasn't dead. His heart was beating and he was breathing, which was the most beautiful sight in the world.
"Henry! You're alive!" she exclaimed, not able to believe what she had just witnessed.
His eyes darted towards her, and they locked with her pupils. She could see something in his eyes for a second, but a cloud seemed to consume it. Henry's eyes grew wide and he recoiled as he let out a bloodcurdling scream.
"WHO ARE YOU?" he yelled at the top of his lungs, causing Emma to feel as if her life had ended once more.
*Finds a place to hide*
I am very aware of the fact that I'm an evil person, and I apologize. All I can say is that at least I didn't kill him...
Now, I'm going out of town for about ten days on Friday. I will be able to write, just not post. Also, my beta is going out of town as well for a few weeks. I'm going to keep writing no matter what, but I haven't decided if I'm going to wait until she comes home to post the chapters. I hate posting my work unbetaed, but I also hate keeping my amazing readers waiting. Let me know what you would prefer.
Always feel free to pm me about anything, I swear that I don't bite!
Please review...even if it's just to yell at me.