CHAPTER 48
Though he didn't want to admit it. Henry was scared.
The day had gone on like any other. School. Then Mandy picking him up and bringing him back home where he had an afternoon snack and worked on his homework until it was time for them to meet up with his Mom at Karen's office.
Emma not being there as soon as they got there wasn't really something to worry about. Neither was being called into the back by Karen with her still not there. Josie was told to put in a call to make sure she was on the way before Henry entered the office. It was rare but Emma wasn't always the most reliable when it came to time. This wasn't her first time being late and it wouldn't be her last.
But when Karen went in search of her after their session he started to worry. This had never happened before. Josie explained that her previous calls had gone straight to voicemail even as she tried again.
By the time the office was due to close everyone was looking nervous. Mandy, who would normally have been gone an hour ago, tried her best to laugh it off, "I'm sure your Mum got mixed up at work. She's probably waiting for us at home now."
But when they got there they saw her car still parked in the driveway. Emma was nowhere to be found.
Now Henry was downright terrified. This situation most definitely had never happened before. And the consequences of no longer having Emma around had him in a near panic. What would become of him? He was sure his Mother wouldn't take him in. He'd instead end up a resident of the school that she ran.
Emma was all he had. If she flaked out on him he'd be down two mothers.
His thoughts started moving over to the dark side. It had rained earlier. What if Emma was lying in a ditch by the side of the road. But no. Her car was still in the driveway. So what the hell?
Mandy did her best to distract him. She ordered pizza – in between frantically calling the school looking for information – and telling him not to worry about it. There was a reasonable explanation why someone would miss a therapist appointment and still not be home at 9 even when her job ended at 5. She put on a movie hoping to keep him distracted.
Fear was gripping ahold of him from the inside out. He was trying his best to restrain himself but his knees felt wobbly as he fell onto the sofa and his palms were sweating profusely. His heart beat had accelerated and he vaguely wondered if he was on the verge of a heart attack.
He wanted to run to the school and throughout it to get answers but Emma had made sure that Mandy understood he was never allowed anywhere near the campus grounds. He wanted to cry and beg for his Mommy but he knew he was too old for that. So instead he continued to play make believe with the nanny as if they both weren't thinking the same scary thoughts.
They played a movie, picked at pizza, and both pretended to stare at the screen. But they weren't fooling one another. Both their ears and eyes were trained to the door. Waiting and hoping.
MF
The seconds felt like hours and the hours felt like days as Regina continued to pace back and forth around the small room. Though the layout was open she felt as if all the air and colors had been drained from her.
The emergency waiting room was nothing spectacular but it had been decorated to be as soothing as possible as people waited anxiously to hear about their loved ones. Cora sat nervously as she kept a watchful eye on her daughter while they both awaited news of the blonde.
Regina couldn't get the images of the blonde out of her mind. Her heart had nearly stopped as she watched Emma's body fly through the air then land with a sickening thud against the wall before sliding down in a dead slump. Somehow she'd still had presence of mind to get the fence closed behind her as the pony finally settled into the stall before running to the fallen Savior's side.
She hadn't even been aware that she was screaming but the panicked looks and running from the nearby staff told a different story. She fought and pushed the fools away from her who were trying to calm her down until she once more reached Emma's side. She fell to her knees and cradled her head in her hands. The ambulance was thankfully already on its way by the time she processed that they even needed one. The vet on duty thankfully did all she could to help with the situation.
Magic had of course been her first instinct. Seeing the normally active woman lying prone nearly broke her. She just needed her to be okay. She'd caught herself from reacting just in time. She'd hidden her hands beneath Emma's head as she sent a stream of healing purple magic into her. From the casual observers standing by it just looked as if she was cradling her head. The last thing she or the school needed was a widespread panic from rumors of witchcraft.
Regina's mind had gone blank as she watched the blonde loaded onto a stretcher. She'd prayed that the magic she'd done had been enough to see the blonde through.
She barely registered having jumped into the golf cart that Emma had driven over and blindly racing back to the school. By the time she burst through the doors of the main office she was already crying frantically. Zelena had thankfully been visiting that day. After she and her Mother had been able to piece together as much as they could through her strangled cries she'd assured her that the kids would fine with her as her Mother stepped up to drive her to the hospital.
The drive had been excruciating as from her position they were moving too slow. It was a miracle Cora, who hadn't been given the opportunity to drive much, had actually gotten them there in one piece given all the screaming Regina had done to drive faster repeatedly along the way.
Once they arrived at the emergency room, she'd nearly ripped the head off the young girl who dared to ask who she was as she was trying to get information on where and what was happening with the blonde. She was shocked at how strong her Mother was as she physically wrapped her arms around her and dragged her to a corner of the waiting room until she'd calmed down enough to be coherent.
When the doctors came into the waiting area to ask about next of kin her Mother had quickly recovered from the shock of hearing her tell them that she was it. She'd then continued to hold her daughter and console her as best she could after hearing the extent of Emma's injuries. She'd presented with broken ribs, a broken arm, sprained wrist, and multiple bruises covering her body. Her broken ribs had unfortunately punctured one of her lungs. She would need surgery immediately. Her situation was dire.
Cora watched her daughter fold in on herself as she was asked to sign the consent forms. Her fingers had shaken and fumbled so much that she'd dropped the pen multiple times and Cora had to hold the clipboard steady so that she could sign her name.
After the agonizing 3 hours worth of waiting for her surgery to be completed the doctor, a portly man by the name of Papa Pope, had come out and explained that she had made it through. Her wounds had been tended to as well as modern medical science was capable and the rest was left in the hands of fate. But her status had been lifted from critical to stable.
It had taken another hour before Regina had been allowed to actually set eyes on the blonde. She'd had to prepay the costs of a private room with an en suite which she did immediately. Unfortunately the paperwork and waiting for the clearances to go through ended up making it more complicated than if she'd just been in a regular ward. Again were it not for Cora physically restraining her, the hospital would more than likely no longer be standing.
Her face was blotchy and streaked with tears, her eyes and nose were red, her hair was a mess from her gripping it with her tightened fists, and her nerves were completely shot by the time she made it into the room. But seeing green eyes blinking tiredly at her had her knees sagging in relief.
Emma was seated at the side of the bed when they came in. A nurse was standing over her helping her to try and stand while coaxing her over to the reclining chair just a couple of feet away.
Regina frowned as she took in the blonde's appearance. She was wearing the most garish pair of stockings on her feet and had monitors attached to her chest and sides. There was an IV in the one arm that was in a cast while bandages were wrapped around the sprained wrist of her other arm. The drains coming out of her side looked painful even from a distance and Regina had no idea why she was being forced to her feet at all in such a state. "Shouldn't she be lying down and resting? She looks like she's half dead," she practically yelled. From the corner of her eye she saw her Mother give her a stern warning look from the hallway but she ignored it and her.
Emma shot her a glare before her face twisted in obvious pain. Regina rushed forward to help but ended up stopping at the end of the bed. She pushed a button at her side that then expelled a long breath as the pain meds from the pump kicked in. The nurse continued with her ministrations.
The nurse smiled patiently at her. She was obviously used to dealing with irate family members. "It's actually for her own good. Getting the patient up and moving as soon as possible helps prevent clotting. She's been given pain meds already and I assure you we would do nothing to put the patient anymore at risk." She pointed to the pouch that hung across Emma's side, "she can administer pain meds at will. I promise you she'll be fine."
Regina remained skeptical as she watched the blonde be maneuvered over to the reclining chair near the bed. The nurse made sure she was as comfortable as possible with plenty of extra pillows and blankets before finally leaving the two of them alone. "I'll be back a little later to start your wife on her breathing exercises. But for now she's actually doing a great job."
Emma looked surprised at the wife comment. Regina covered the flush that spread across her cheeks by fussing over the pillows and blankets around her.
"How are you?" she asked after clearing her throat loudly. "I mean – beside the obvious," she gestured in her overall direction.
"'s kay," Emma's voice came out in a choked whisper. She smiled a little at the wife thing but she was entirely too exhausted to get into it now. She had a breathing tube now as they had taken her oxygen tube out which she'd been told was a good sign as they explained her situation to her in the recovery room. "You did magic on me didn't you?"
Regina smiled tiredly and nodded, "How did you know?"
"Because my head is the only thing that doesn't hurt," she croaked as her eyes began to droop. Her eyes widened as she grabbed the towel the nurse had left at her side. She pressed it to her incision as she coughed.
Regina winced wishing she could spare her this pain. But anymore magic would set off suspicions in hospital staff around them. Plus they were being closely monitored. The front walls of the room were made of glass so that the nurses could keep a careful eye on the patient. She busied herself instead with pouring her a glass of water and helping her drink from the straw provided.
"Sorry I'm such an idiot," she croaked out through her sore throat. Breathing came with a burning sensation that she had been told was going to be her new normal for a while. She had really screwed herself up this time. She had no idea what she'd been thinking trying to push a horse.
Regina gave an exaggerated sigh, "since we both know it'll happen again I don't know what else to say." She dragged her hand through her tousled hair, "I'm just glad you're on the mend now."
Emma nodded knowing that once she was out of the woods the chastisement would really start. But she was glad to have the brunette by her side. Always.
"Thank – ful – ly," her words were coming out slower as her head lolled against the backrest and eyes continued to droop. "Blue's too li'l to know her Mom's an idiot. How'd Henry take it?" she asked as impending sleep came rushing at her.
Regina froze with a look of horror across her face, "Henry?"
Emma was almost asleep but she still managed to catch the surprise in Regina's voice. She used up every bit of her energy reserves as she looked up in shock, "you forgot Henry?"
