You didn't think I'd just leave you guys hanging like that after the last chapter, did you?
I own nothing except my delusions.
Careful not to jostle him too much, Emma dragged Killian to a spot that was relatively free of fallen walkers, letting him rest against her as David, Ian, Lance, and Leroy rushed to them.
Looking over at him, she saw Killian was barely conscious, making her wonder if it was from his head injury or if the effects of the bite were starting.
"Where is it?" Lance asked, looking up and down Killian's body.
"His hand," Emma said.
"Shit," David muttered, his eyes on the wound.
Emma felt her heart sink, all of her thoughts on how Killian would be infected and eventually turn.
"What if we cut it off?" David suddenly asked. He looked at Ian, who was looking at his brother in horror. "It might save him."
Ian nodded. "If it doesn't work, we know what will happen anyway."
David nodded, pulling out his unused hatchet. "Hold him and keep him still."
Lance moved to Killian's uninjured side, supporting his weight and making sure he stood up as Leroy extended the arm with his injured hand.
Emma stood where she was out of the way, instead facing Killian. She cradled his face in her hands, gently stroking his cheeks with her thumbs as he fought to stay awake.
"Hey, just look at me, Killian," she said gently, wanting to keep him calm, all the while knowing what was about to happen. "Look at me, okay?"
His bleary eyes focused on her as he gave her a small nod.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw David bring down the axe before bringing it up again, hacking at flesh and bone until he was able to sever the hand and wrist from Killian's arm with sickening tearing and breaking sounds.
Killian's body shuttered before his eyes rolled back, the pain and head injury too much.
"We need to get him back, now," Ian told them.
Despite how well he hid it, Emma could hear the fear in his voice.
"Emma, can you lead the way?" David asked, moving to take up Lance's spot and carry Killian with Leroy.
She nodded, reluctantly releasing Killian to head off the group, suddenly finding herself almost eager to take down some walkers unfortunate enough to cross their path.
Knowing she couldn't outright run and risk losing the others, she scanned the trees as she led the group, finding no walkers in sight despite the gunshot.
She wondered what happened, why a gun was even fired, even less why only one shot.
The rest of the camp looked up in alarm as she broke through the trees, followed closely by David and Leroy carrying Killian, with Lance and Ian behind them. Multiple people stood up, not knowing what was going on. Some were missing, people Emma knew were still out setting traps for food.
"David?" Mary Margaret questioned in shock, eyes wide. "Emma?"
"What the hell happened?" Mulan asked.
"Take him to our tent," Ian instructed.
"Doc!" Leroy called. "We need you, now!"
"Mary Margaret, we need help," David told his wife as they moved toward the large blue tent.
Emma and Ian pulled the doors open, allowing the men to carry Killian in, with Mary Margaret and Asa following close behind, having retrieved what medical supplies they had.
She followed Ian in as Asa told Leroy they needed an emergency run for medication to prevent infection if the amputation worked, sending Leroy hurrying out.
She caught sight of them ripping his shirt off, fully exposing his upper body as his unconscious form rested on a cot.
Her stomach rolled at the sight of the bloody stump, unable to imagine the pain he would be in if he were conscious. Asa's hands quickly turned red with it, quickly working the veins to stop Killian from bleeding out as Mary Margaret stood by with gauze and bandages ready.
Ian was pale beside his brother, watching as he was worked on.
Slowly, Emma stepped forward, moving closer.
David glanced back at her before going to stand beside her, dropping his voice. "Emma, I'm going to go back and try to figure out what the hell happened. Can... can you stay here and watch over this?"
Slowly, she nodded. "Yeah..."
He squeezed her shoulder once before exiting, his voice traveling from the outside to gather a small group to go with him.
After what felt like an eternity, Asa took the bandages from Mary Margaret, wrapping them around the bottom half of Killian's arm.
"You're going to have to keep an eye on him," he told them in a solemn tone as he began checking his head. "I don't know if this will work, and just in case it doesn't, well, someone should be here. I can't tell if he has a head injury until he's awake, and it's not like there's a lot I can do to examine him."
He left before anything else could be said.
Ian nearly collapsed in a chair, burying his face in his hands.
Mary Margaret slowly walked by him, resting a hand on his shoulder.
He didn't look up as the tent door opened again, startling the women in the tent as Henry snuck in.
He stopped, his face paling at the sight of Killian laying prone on the cot with his arm covered in bandages.
"What happened?" Henry asked breathlessly. "They're saying something about a herd and he got bit?"
Lost for words, Emma looked back at Mary Margaret, sharing a glance with the woman before looking back at her son. "Yeah, he was, kid."
Her heart nearly broke at the tears welling in his eyes. "Will... will he turn?"
"We don't know," she answered honestly, her tone tired. "All we can do is wait."
Slowly, he nodded, stepping closer until he could wrap his arms around her waist. She immediately wrapped her arms back around him."
"Are the others back from setting traps?" she asked quietly.
"Some," he replied. "Dad got back with the others right after you came in here."
She nodded, even knowing he couldn't see it.
They all looked over as sounds grew outside the tent, knowing David's group was returning.
Listening carefully, Emma was able to hear who was speaking outside.
"What the hell's going on?" Neal asked in a strained voice.
She wasn't aware of how much time had passed when she realized David was speaking. "A heard attacked the Joneses. Liam is dead and Killian was bitten. We're trying to see if we can save him."
"We need to move," Neal snapped. "I don't know who the hell fired off a gun, but the sound can attract more walkers."
"I think we don't have to worry too much about that," Mulan said. "The echos would throw them off."
"And we need to make sure Killian's stable," Lance added.
"So we just wait around, risking our lives for someone who might not even live through the night?" Neal argued.
"What are you suggesting?" David questioned with an edge in his tone. "That we just leave him here, alone?"
"If it means safety, yes," Neal said. "Why put everyone, my son, at risk for one person?"
Emma's stomach churned at the idea of abandoning Killian.
"Because we don't leave anyone behind," David said firmly, ending the discussion. "And so long as Henry's with us, he'll be fine. Emma will keep him safe."
Emma hugged Henry tighter, to which he buried his face in her stomach.
She glanced back at Mary Margaret and Ian, seeing them both wearing drawn expressions.
"We're not leaving him behind," Mary Margaret told Ian firmly. "He's one of us, and we take care of our own."
He gave her a small nod.
Emma felt horrible, having realized she never gave a thought to Liam. She had liked the man, trusted him with her son, and she had only worried about Killian, praying it wasn't his body they found the walkers devouring.
She looked over at Ian, who was continuing to sit silently beside his older brother, realizing he could possibly lose all of the family he had, lose the brothers he had just found.
She looked back towards the entrance as David came through, his expression grim.
"Henry, Lance needs some help outside," he said keeping his voice calm.
Henry slowly pulled away from his mother as he moved to exit the tent.
Their facade broke as he left, everyone knowing David didn't come bearing good news.
"David, what's wrong?" his wife asked him, quickly striding to stand beside him.
He sighed, his face lined with exhaustion. "I went back to where we found them. I took a good look at... what was left of Liam. It was bad. After the others get back, we should bury Liam, give him a funeral."
Ian nodded. "I want my brother to have a proper burial."
"We'll tell you when they're back with the medicine," David told him. "In the meantime, I'm gonna take Lance so we can prepare a spot."
Emma knew David was omitting something, but knew better than to ask in front of Ian, lest he do something rash.
David turned to leave, Mary Margaret beside him, before pausing, pulling some metal objects from his jacket, depositing them on an empty chair and leaving.
Emma saw Killian's hook, covered in blood, and Liam's heavy marlin spike. The sight made her throat tighten, knowing the owner of one of the objects was gone, and that the other was fighting for his life.
She moved, intending to sit on one of the cots with to stay with Killian and Ian. She turned away from the one she had originally been heading towards, realizing it had been Liam's, his pack resting on the foot. She settled on what she guessed was Ian's.
She was glad Henry wasn't in with her watching over Killian, didn't want her son there if he turned, especially with how much her son idolized the man.
"What the hell do I do?" Ian whispered. "I can't lose both of my brothers. I- I can't. Not when I just found them."
Looking over at him, it finally sunk in for Emma on how young Ian really was, that he was, that he was barely a man. He had lost his father at the beginning of the end, but had found two older brothers, only to lose one and possibly the other.
"Killian's a fighter," she whispered. "He's stubborn as hell. There's no way he'll go down this way."
"But what if he does?" Ian asked her, finally lifting his head from his hands. "And Liam, I can't just not say goodbye to him, but I don't want to leave Killian alone in case-"
He didn't finish, unable to continue the thought.
"Go," Emma urged. "You need closure, and to say goodbye to Liam. I'll- I'll stay with Killian. He won't be alone, no matter what."
His voice was weak as he spoke again. "Thank you."
She nodded.
She wasn't sure exactly how much time had passed when the sounds of one of the cars entered the camp, quickly followed by people getting out.
Asa came back in the tent a moment later, Leroy and Chase behind him.
"Any changes?" he asked.
"Nothing," she replied quietly. "He's been out cold."
Asa nodded before rifling through a backpack, pulling some white bottles. "Well, luckily we have some stuff to help him if he… pulls through."
Swallowing, she nodded.
He set them down on a chair. "There's some strong pain pills as well."
After writing some instructions, he left, taking his companions with him, leaving Emma and Ian to wait.
She heard David return, but couldn't make out what he said to the rest of the group.
"They're back," she murmured to Ian.
He nodded, looking almost scared. He stood, looking back at her. "Are you sure about this, Emma?"
"Yeah, I am," she promised, nodding.
He gave her a parting glance before leaving the tent.
Emma listened as the others spoke before they left, going on foot to Liam's gravesite.
Sighing, she looked back at Killian's unconscious form before getting up to retrieve some water and a towel, intending to wash away the blood on him.
She carefully felt the skin of his forehead as she washed the blood from his face and neck, relief flooding her as she didn't find a fever.
A small voice reminded her how easily his situation could turn, as well as the possibility that with his head injury, he may not wake up. Asa had been more concerned with Killian's impromptu amputation, unable to check him while unconscious, as well as lacking the equipment needed.
Sitting in silence, regret bubbled within her, knowing that there was a chance that she could lose Killian, even if he wasn't hers to lose.
She pushed back the tears she felt welling up, knowing that there was no use in crying.
She had pushed him away in an attempt to keep a semblance of peace between her and Neal in order to protect him, but might have lost her chance with him. She knew she did care for Killian, even knowing that she couldn't be with him, but couldn't help hate herself because she had pushed him away so much. She knew that if he died, she would have herself to blame for not giving them a chance, even with Neal insisting they were still together.
Emma had never been religious, but she found herself praying to whoever may be listening that Killian not be taken away from her, promising that if he survived, she wouldn't keep pushing him away, that she would begin letting him behind her walls.
Carefully, she gently brushed her lips against his, praying he would come back.
She sat back in a chair near the bed, ready to wait beside him.
She started slightly when he shifted after a while, fear gripping her and making her grab the handle of her knife. Holding her breath, she watched him as he released a small groan, only exhaling as he opened his eyes.
Bright blue eyes focused on her, followed by a weak grin.
Smiling gently, Emma leaned forward to get a better look at him.
"Hey," she said softly.
"Hey," he responded in a raspy voice.
She turned away from him, quickly grabbing a canteen and holding it to help him drink.
Killian groaned as he rested his head back on his pillow, grimacing.
"Doc sent out to get you some medicine," she told him, reaching for the bag of pills. "It will help the pain and prevent infection."
"Prevent-" he began before stopping, his eyes wide as he saw his left hand missing from his arm.
Emma furrowed her brows. "You don't remember?"
He shook his head before wincing again, instantly regretting the movement. "No. The last I remember is standing with Liam on the beach after checking out the cabin. What happened?"
Trying to put off answering him, she went to the medicine for him, looking over Asa's messy handwriting and grabbing the pills in the doses he prescribed.
"Take these," she told him, handing him the pills before holding out the canteen for him to wash them down.
He easily took them, pulling his face into a look of disdain as he swallowed them before looking back up at her.
Emma swallowed nervously, not knowing exactly what to tell him. "A small herd attacked you, and you somehow hit your head. Me and some of the others went and finished off the herd while you were still fighting. You were bitten, so we had to take off your hand to try and save you."
He gave her a tired smile. "Well, if losing my hand means I don't become infected and I get to have you taking care of me, I'm not about to complain. But I must ask, and I don't mean this as an offense to you, love, but why isn't my older brother doting on me with his caring bedside manner?"
Emma hated herself for being the one to give him the news.
"Liam didn't make it," she whispered, feeling tears welling up again. "Everyone's out burying him right now."
"Liam's dead?" Killian asked in a weak voice.
Unable to respond, she nodded.
Killian looked up toward the tent ceiling, moisture building in his eyes quickly spilling over.
Watching Killian break nearly broke her, making her finally shed the tears she had been holding back.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "We didn't get there fast enough. He was gone when we got there. I'm sorry, Killian."
He didn't speak as soft sobs escaped him, instead reaching for her hand and gripping it with his. Despite how weak he was, his grip was still strong, letting her know he didn't blame her.
She tightened her own grip, refusing to let go.
She let him let everything out, keeping close to him the entire time.
Both their eyes had dried when the others returned, the sounds of them reentering the camp making them look toward the entrance.
They heard footsteps at the entrance before someone undid the zipper, Ian leading the way in closely followed by David and Mary Margaret.
They all released an audible breath of relief as they saw Killian, alive.
"I need to know where you buried Liam," Killian said in a firm voice, moving to rise out of the cot. "I need to go."
Both David and Ian moved to him, pushing him back down just firm enough to restrain him.
"We can't let you do that," David said patiently. "Killian, you're in no condition to go out in the woods. You need to rest."
Ian nodded. "He's right, brother. You have to take it easy."
Killian stopped fighting them, laying back down unhappily.
David sighed, falling back into his old cop persona. "I know you just went through a lot, but can you tell me what happened out there?"
Suddenly feeling the pain again, Killian winced. "Like I already told Emma, no, I don't. The last thing I remember is Liam and I went on the beach near the cabin after we checked it out. I don't even remember the bloody herd."
"Maybe you'll start to remember later on?" Mary Margaret suggested hopefully.
"I don't know," Killian sighed. "Look, I know my condition is shit, but I have to see Liam, just one more time."
"I'm sorry," David said apologetically. "I really am. But everyone is staying in the camp for now, and we're leaving first thing in the morning. We can't risk sending anyone out like that."
Killian closed his eyes, leaning back into his pillow.
Biting her lip, Emma gently squeezed his hand, realizing neither of them had let go when the small group came in.
"Emma, can we talk to you?" David said calmly.
She knew Killian and Ian couldn't detect it, but knew David well enough to recognize his tone, the one he used when there was something urgent but didn't want to let others know.
Slowly, she nodded, finally releasing Killian's hand and getting up.
"Thank you," Ian muttered to her as she passed by. "I've got everything from here."
She nodded before following David and Mary Margaret out of the brothers' tent to the couple's. She noticed the somber mood around camp, everyone visible mourning Liam. A few people were missing, something she needed to ask about, especially if David said no one was to go out, especially on their own.
Alone in the tent, Emma settled her hands on her hips, taking a strong stance while knowing they were about to drop a bombshell on her.
"Where is everyone?" she quickly asked before they could start.
"Taking down the game traps," Mary Margaret told her. "We don't want to risk leaving a trail for any walkers to follow, not with that herd earlier."
Emma nodded in understanding.
David sighed, his face lined with exhaustion. "I took a good look at... what was left of Liam before we started digging. It was bad, but I found something. In his upper right leg there was a wound that wasn't from the walkers. I pulled a bullet out of his leg. That shot that went off, it was at Liam. With Killian's head injury, I think someone had actually tried to kill them."
Emma felt the air leave her lungs. "What? You mean someone purposefully did this? Someone tried to kill them?"
Slowly, he nodded. "Yes. I didn't think the shot and the herd was a coincidence, but I didn't think this would happen."
"There's something else, isn't there?" she asked, knowing there was more.
"I checked the weapons after everyone got back, before we went to bury Liam," he said, his voice dropping. "One gun was missing a round. Neal's."
Emma felt her stomach plummet, suddenly feeling nauseous. "What? Are you sure?"
He nodded.
She sat down, almost feeling her legs go out from beneath her as she put all of the pieces together. She felt cold, guilt crushing her.
"This is my fault," she whispered. "Killian's hurt and Liam's dead because of me."
Horrified, she looked up at them. "Oh God, what if he knows I kissed Killian and that's why he-"
Mary Margaret quickly shook her head, cutting her off. "No. There's no way he could. And this isn't your fault, Emma. If Neal did this, and I'm just saying if because Killian does remember it, that's his fault. He pulled the trigger, Emma. Not you."
Despite the situation, Emma saw David looking between her and his wife in surprise at the news.
"We have to watch them," Mary Margaret said firmly. "I think Liam was just collateral damage, that he was going after Killian."
Recovering, David's expression hardened. "And he survived, so Neal might try to finish the job."
"Okay, but what do we tell Ian?" Mary Margaret asked.
"He'll want blood if we tell him," Emma replied. "That can be dangerous. But I know we can't just not say anything."
"Maybe that he needs to keep an eye on Killian?" David proposed. "We don't really have a lot of options, not until we can definitively prove Neal did this."
Emma sighed, knowing he was right, as well as that somehow, she wasn't too surprised that Neal would go to such lengths because he felt threatened.
She knew that because of Neal, Killian lost the only person he had growing up.
Emma moved as quietly as possible through the shadows across the camp, not wanting to draw any attention. Light rain had began falling, reminding her of Killian and Liam's prediction earlier in the day.
They had been fishing with some nets in the river only that morning, but it felt like a lifetime ago to Emma.
Carefully, she went to the tent Killian and Ian had shared with Liam, trying not to think of the eldest Jones brother. Trying not to make any sound, she unzipped the entrance, slipping inside.
"Killian?" she called softly from the entrance.
Movement from one of the cots caught her eye as Killian's voice quietly answered. "Here, love."
He sat up to look at her, his expression clear that he hadn't been sleeping even in the dark tent. His eyes were tired as he looked back at her, but held a pain she knew all too well, one that prevented him from getting the rest he needed.
Quietly, she moved closer to him. "C'mon."
He raised a single brow. "What're you doing?"
"I'm taking you to your brother," she said. "It's not fair that you can't say goodbye."
"You're going with me to Liam's grave?" he asked.
Emma nodded. "Yeah. Get dressed."
Killian glanced at Ian's sleeping form before getting up, gripping the edge of the cot for support until he was sure he was steady standing up.
Once he was standing, Emma became acutely aware he was shirtless. A blush warmed her cheeks as she appreciatively took him in, the skin stretched over lean muscle with the hair on his chest tapering down until it disappeared in the waistband of his jeans.
She knew it was wrong, that he was injured, but couldn't help finding him attractive.
She waited as he shrugged on a black Henley, moving to help him not disturb the bandages on his arm. She helped him again in pulling on a warm cotton jacket, his ensemble a far cry from what he usually wore.
He grabbed a couple of his weapons as they made to leave, refusing for her to be the one solely responsible if they ran into any walkers.
Emma led the way out of the camp, Killian right on her tail as they made sure they weren't seen, both releasing a breath of relief when they were covered by the trees.
"They buried him at the beach," she told him, having been able to get the information out of her son from when he had gone with the group.
Killian nodded. "He would have liked that."
The woods were quiet, but Emma didn't feel a threat in the silence, instead finding the forest peaceful. She was relieved that they didn't find any walkers on the way.
Despite the light rain making the smells of the forest stronger, she caught the scent of briny air as they neared the beach, alerting her that they were close.
They spotted a small mound just below the tree line as they stepped on the beach, a makeshift wooden cross marking it.
Emma stopped when Killian did, glancing out of the corner of her eye to see his pained expression. Before she could say anything, he began walking again, but at a slower pace.
She kept her pace even with his.
As they got closer, she could make out more details, the cross carved with Liam's initials.
They stopped in front of the burial mound, both their eyes strained on it.
Slowly, Killian pulled away, pulling Liam's marlin spike from his jacket pocket and burying it in the earth at the base of the cross.
Emma caught silent tears streaming from his eyes as he pulled away to stand back beside her.
Trying to give him whatever comfort she could, she reached out, brushing her hand against his. He shifted, pressing their palms together and intertwining their fingers.
"Tell me about him?" she asked him quietly.
Killian gave her a weak, watery laugh, but his smile was genuine as he began telling her about when they were children.
Emma knew in that moment that she would stay up with Killian all night, listening to his stories at his brother's grave if it meant taking some of the weight from his shoulder sand make him smile again.
Stuffing the last of her possessions in a bag, Emma moved to where the cars were, ready to leave their camp.
She had debated with herself as she and Killian returned to the camp in the early hours of the morning before coming to her decision after a few hours of sleep. She knew it was a risk, but had chosen to keep by Killian's side to make sure he was safe, as well as remembering her promise the day before when she was praying he survived, all too happy to fulfill it.
While she couldn't be with him because of the threat Neal posed, she could still remain by his side to help protect him.
She nodded her head toward the Jeep as she passed Mary Margaret and David, silently letting them know where she was going. They nodded in return.
"Hey, Mom, do you think it would be alright if I asked Killian and Ian if I could ride with them?" Henry asked, quickly approaching her and falling into step beside her.
"I don't know," she replied. "You'll have to ask them."
He nodded as they came up to the vehicle, seeing Killian and Ian quietly arguing.
"You're barely standing on your own," Ian pointed out. "Look, just ride in the back. You can rest down there. Besides, I already laid out some blankets and pillows so you'll be more comfortable."
Killian opened his mouth to respond before catching sight of Emma and Henry, his expression softening.
Henry was nervous when he spoke up. "Um, I was wondering if I could ride with you again."
Both brothers nodded warmly.
"Aye, you can ride shotgun with me," Ian told him.
Henry grinned.
"Actually, I was hoping you had room for one more person," Emma said quietly.
Killian and Ian shared a curious glance.
"I'd say yes, but I collapsed the back seats for Killian," Ian told her. "We have only the back available."
"I can stay back there and help keep him comfortable," Emma responded. "Unless he doesn't want me back there."
Killian held her gaze as he responded. "No, it's fine. The company will actually be welcomed."
She gave him a small smile.
Seeing the others being to get in their vehicles, they ushered Henry into the passenger seat before they helped Emma in the back, ignoring her protests that she could get in fine. Killian followed her, not as steady as he usually was before settling on a plush blanket, his head resting on a pillow.
As Ian climbed into the driver's seat, Emma scooted closer to Killian, her legs near his head.
"You know, you can rest, too," he told her quietly, looking at the shadows under her eyes. "You had a long night as well."
She shook her head. "I'm fine."
He sighed before thinking better of arguing with her, making her grin.
She felt at peace as she stayed by him even as he drifted off while they began moving.
Review?