When Elle came to she didn't open her eyes right away. She thought she must be in some kind of brilliant dream and didn't want it to end. She could feel someone's arms wrapped securely around her, and even though there was no way he could have found her, she drew comfort from the warmth and safety she felt wrapped tightly in his arms.
Emmett needed a hospital. There was something seriously wrong with his insides. He felt like there was a gaping hole in his chest where his heart had been five minutes ago and it was agony. She couldn't be dead. His Elle. It just couldn't be possible. He wanted to kill himself for not figuring it out sooner. This was all his fault, and now she was gone.
"I'm sorry, Elle," he whispered into her hair. "I'm so, so sorry."
Elle heard someone whispering to her. It sounded like…but it couldn't be. It was just a dream; she was delusional from loss of blood. All the same, she nuzzled closer to whatever was holding her, a small smiling spreading across her face. Whatever this hallucination was it was a hell of a lot better than her reality.
Emmett continued to cry, pulling Elle closer to him. He felt her snuggle against his chest.
WAIT…dead people don't change position. He looked down at her. Dead people don't smile.
"Elle?" he asked, daring to allow his hopes to rise slightly. "Are you there? Elle?"
Elle heard someone calling her name. She shook her head slightly. She didn't want to wake up from this perfect fantasy where she felt so safe and happy.
"Elle! Please wake up!"
She opened her eyes and found her face pressed up against someone's suit. She shook again, feeling dizzy, and looked up.
"Emmett?" her voice was faint and colored with disbelief.
"Elle! Oh, thank god, thank god!"
"Emmett, Margot" Elle's voice was still faint and tired but she felt uplifted, similar to the way she felt after a fresh manicure. "Is it really you guys?"
"Its us, Elle. Are you ok?" Margot's voice broke and she threw her arms around her sorority sister, squeezing her tight. "We've been so worried about you, sweetie. We didn't know what to do when you stopped calling us back. Kate's been so upset, she failed a class."
"Kate? Failed? Omigod." A hint of a smile spread across Elle's face.
"Well, it was a C- and that's the lowest grade she's ever gotten, so…"
"Wow."
"Yeah."
"So, what happened, Elle? Emmett said your boss, that Callahan guy, kidnapped you?" Margot sounded uncertain; almost unwilling to believe it could be true unless Elle could confirm it.
Elle's smile faded immediately. She trembled a little and tears filled her eyes.
"Well ummm…yeah…he, he k-kissed me that night, after the, um, trial, and then I said 'stop' except he didn't stop, he kept going and he knocked me out and then…then he…umm…" She broke off, unable to continue for sobbing. Emmett reached out, his strong arms wrapping around her again as she cried.
"Shhh, its ok, we're here, we're gonna get you out of here, you're gonna be ok, shhh, shhh," he whispered to her as she sobbed into his shirt. He stroked her blonde hair soothingly and rubbed her back gently.
"Shhh, c'mon, let's get out of here."
And with that, her scooped her up gently, and exited Callahan's office with Margot following close behind.
A/N-So she's finally outta there! Yay Emmett!
Questions? Corrections? Suggestions? Review!broadwaygrl6502