Disclaimers: Chapter 1! If I owned Hustle I would be creating a 9th season!
Please R/R, means the world to me!
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The muffled voices slurred in her head, drowning in confusion. She tried again gently listening to the ever-emerging voices, which erupted her from her dream-like state.
"Mick, I told you she shouldn't have played such a vital part in the con. I warned you, but you didn't seem to listen" A young man spoke. His voice unveiling anger, which he had long suppressed. It must be Sean.
Her eyes were weighed down by an invisible force, she tried to break through but surrendered to the over-powering nausea that struck her head. She once again found herself listened to snippets of the argument between two men.
"Emma, knew what she was doing. It was a simple easy-payoff scam, all we had to do was collect the money at the end." A man's voice defended the earlier argument. The crisp British accent was reassuring as Emma realised that it was Mickey, her boyfriend speaking to Sean.
"But even you had doubts this morning when you saw the sight of her, she was too pale even for Emma's standard. We all thought something was wrong with her but she wouldn't agree, you should have put your foot down and forced her to rest. Now we've found out that Emma fainted in a hotel lobby, which all could have been prevented. If you're the caring "boyfriend" she thinks you are, you would have make sure she was feeling alright to finish the con. But you didn't. I seriously don't know what she sees in you, Michael Stone. Because sometimes your the most self-centered bastard I know!"
The anger radiated off the young man's body. His voice hitched at the last sentence but he meant it all the same. If he truly cared for Emma he would have forced her to stay home. Sean stormed off leaving the rest of the team watching in wake. Albert sat pensively at the dining room table, the poker game long forgotten as he glanced at Ash. His face displaying the emotions that were running through his head. The middle-aged man stared at the door leading to Sean's bedroom, the hinges still ringing through the force of him slamming the door.
Mickey sat at Emma's side. The blonde's body lay peacefully strewn across the white sofa. The curls cascading off the side of the white leather. Mickey's ebony hands gently touching the side of his girlfriend's face. His face plagued with worry for both the siblings. Emma had been unconscious for more than half an hour now, and he was beginning to become overcome with anxiety and guilt that something was seriously wrong with his girlfriend. Sean's words repetitively whirled around his head. "You could have prevented this, you self-centered bastard!" Mickey was deep in thought, he didn't notice the movement of the ivory skin underneath his.
Her eyelids fluttered, adjusting to the bright light. She panicked, the foggy images clouding her vision. Forcefully her eyelids shut tightly, breathing deeply she tried again. They flickered open, revealing the ceiling of the living room. She sighed, a faint groan escaping her lips. Her cheeks seemed wet, she reached out finding tear-tracks painted across her pale cheeks. The sudden movement startled the figure which loomed above her face. She looked up, staring into the dark mahogany eyes of her boyfriend. They stayed like that for a minute, consumed in their thoughts of relief and happiness. Mickey broke the silence, beckoning Ash and Albert to come to the sofa. The older men toddled over, bickering about the current situation with Sean. They stopped when they saw the blonde slouching, attempting to sit against the white curves of the sofa. Albert spoke first, his soft voice reassuring.
"Emma, how are you feeling?"
"Good, well okay, I guess. I am so sorry, it will never happen again." Her apologies lingering in the air.
"Don't worry Ems. We just care that your al'right, ok" Ash said, looking directly into her eyes.
" I just..." Her voice haltered, desperation striking her. "Did I blow the con? I could never forgive myself otherwise..." Her blue eyes impulsively searching the faces of the men which stood before her.
Her boyfriend spoke. "Em, don't worry. We were just walking over to Eddie's when it happened." He glanced at Albert, watching the older man taking a mobile phone from his pocket and walking away from the tight huddle. He mouthed the word Eddie, and Mickey immediately understood. The barman was probably stressing at the moment, wondering if Emma was ok. Ash walked away a couple of minutes later, after he watched Mickey assessing Emma for any other medical conditions.
His shoes walked across the shiny floorboards, pausing at a door leading to one of the bedrooms. He knew Sean was going to react the way he did. He severely warned Mickey at the start of the con that Emma shouldn't be that severely involved. But Sean's opinions were dismissed, hidden behind Mickey's faith in his girlfriend's gifting skills. Ash's hand opened the handle, opening the door he saw Sean perched on his bed lost in thought. The older man sat on his bed, and began to speak to the younger man, interrupting the dream-like trance.
He managed to calm the younger man down, convincing him that Mickey just wasn't thinking and didn't evaluate all the possibilities before planning the con. Sean traipsed across the living room and sat next to his sister, stroking her hair he apologised for his irrational behavior.
Emma was about to say something, when overpowering nausea clouded her thoughts. She gripped the ends of the sofa, her knuckles turning white. Her legs sprung into action, hurdling the petite blonde down the hallway. She stopped at the door, her hands sprung to her mouth as she ran to her en suite.
The slight sounds of vomiting was heard from the living room, causing the men to glance at each other, observing the anxiousness which plagued their faces.
Emma's head rest against the bright tiles, the tear-tracks of smudged mascara laden her cheeks. Her sobs were loud, drowning in sorrow of worry of the unknown illness which engulfed her body. The slight knock, erupted her from her pitying state, glancing to stare at the figure which stood in the doorway.
"Em, are you okay?" He asked his voice hitching, unmasking the hidden worry for his girlfriend.
He received a grunt in return, briskly walking to Emma's haunching frame clinging to the toilet bowl. He rubbed her back and waited for her to reply.
"I just..." She took a deep breath, trying to suppress the rising nausea in her throat. "Everything hurts. I haven't been myself for a while now. I thought it was just a stomach bug, I'm probably just overreacting." She muttered, her words slurring as she pulled her head over the toilet bowl. Mickey held her hair, pulling the blonde curls away from her face. Her face displayed pain and suffering as she wiped her hand over her mouth. Mickey offered his hand, pulling his vulnerable girlfriend into a standing position. Smoothing her hand he spoke to her in a gentle tone, calming the worried woman which stood before him.
"Em, you aren't overacting. You fainted this morning, you've been vomiting the past couple of days, it sounds like a something serious. Today you're resting in bed so tomorrow you will be well enough to visit the doctor." Her mouth opened, he placed his finger on her lips silencing her. "No buts Emma Kennedy. Nothing makes me more worried than when you are sick or in danger, so you do this for me." He stared into the blue pools of her eyes, he leaning closer gently brushing his lips against hers. She responded wrapping her hands around his neck, leaning her hips into his body. Moments later he pulled away, telling her he had to talk to Sean.
Emma remained in the bathroom, staring at the pale figure in the mirror. The ivory cheeks smudged with black mascara. Her curls laying deflated in tuffs, resting against her nimble shoulders. She sighed, bending down to open her beauty cupboard knuckles grabbing the porcelain vanity. She sifted through her assorted bottles of make up, hands finally grasping a tall thin bottle and a packet of wipes and proceeded to wipe her face, clearing the panda eyes from view. She finished, placing the cap back on the bottle and gathered the wipes, chucking the used ones in the bin. Emma bent down, looking into the beauty cupboard. It was her disguise, a mask she would wear to seduce the marks, enticing them, tempting their fancy. The bottles lay in shambles, strewn across the shelves. Had it only been this morning, when she had been sitting here, trying to disguise her sickly skin. Masking her true feelings from the rest of the team? She sighed and confined to organising the mess which lay before her.
Her hands grasped a pink makeup bag at the back of the cupboard, hidden behind the bottles of make up. Emma gasped, realising what it contained. Her eyes turned to saucers, as panic set in. Had they really been this careless? Why did it have to happen now? Emma started muttering to herself.
"It can't be possible, it just can't. We were so careful. This must add up to something else... It just can't be. How will the team react? Sean will kill Mickey, but the others will be so worried. It all adds up, the sickness, the pale face even the fainting this morning." Tears welled in her eyes, dropping and running down her pale cheeks. She pulled her knees to her chin, sheltering herself from the outside world.
Mickey walked out to the terrace, passing Albert and Ash on the way. They must have returned to poker, Mickey turned his head observing Ash watching Albert's cards, eagerly awaiting the cheating move from the old grifter. Mickey walked past, lazily standing next to the youngest member of their team, who stared away into the distance oblivious to the man who stood next to him. He cleared his throat, awaking Sean from his trance.
"Is she fine Mick?" Sean asked, worry laced throughout his question.
"I don't know. She threw up, but she is resting now. I'm going to take her to the doctor tomorrow, just to make sure nothing is wrong. But I'm convinced its nothing more than a stomach virus." He replied staring off into the distance.
Time passed, both men consumed in the silence which engulfed them. Mickey stood up, muttered a quiet goodbye to Sean and returned to the inside of the penthouse. Albert sat on the sofa reading a novel, Ash on the other hand was consumed in the technological gadgets strewn across the coffee table. He walked into the kitchen, taking two glasses out of the cupboard he poured two cups of water. Quickly downing the first placing it in the sink. He picked up the second carrying it down to Emma's bedroom.
He knocked, awaiting her response to him for waking her up. Quiet. He pushed the door open, revealing an immaculate bed but Emma was no where to be found. He placed the glass on the nightstand and walked forward to the en suite door. Soft whimpering and muttering came from behind the door, Mickey was immediately worried, he placed his hands on the doorknob. Opening it, revealing Emma huddled in the corner, knees drawn under her chin. The pink make up bag laying at her feet, the contents messily arranged against the white tiles. It alarmed him. He slid down, comfortingly sitting next to his girlfriend, who gazed off into distance. His arm rubbed her back, slowly calming down the sobs which escaped her mouth.
"Emma, I want a truthful answer from you, ok." She nodded, and he continued.
"Emma, are you sure you're okay? Because we can go to the hospital, if you're in a lot of pain." He stated. Silence engulfed them. He nudged her elbow, her lips quivered and a fresh batch of tears erupted. She sighed, speaking through her muffled sobs.
"Mickey we don't need to go to any hospital"
"Why? You're clearly in pain, and it hurts me to see you this way."
"No Mickey we won't need any hospital. Because... Because. I think I'm pregnant ok?"
She got up, racing out of the bathroom leaving a baffled Mickey in her wake.
"Wait, where are you going?"
"To the chemist, to buy one of those tests. I have to know for sure"
Mickey just stood there, amazed at the news. If Emma was right he was going to be a father.
The slight yelling was heard from the living room. The older men watched as a pale Emma emerged from her room, wrapping a coat around her petite frame. When Emma was asked where she was going she viciously snapped, announcing "that it was none of their business, and they should butt out." The door slammed and minutes later a dazed Mickey emerged, wandering through the apartment oblivious to the concerned questions about the state of their relationship.