Laden down with bags and a notebook of paperwork for the hospital admitting staff, Emma felt her husband squeeze her hand. For that moment it outweighed the sharp pangs of the leather strap digging into her shoulder and the way the tote bag of magazines, books, and her work stuff was cutting off the circulation to her fingers on her other hand.

"I should be carrying all that," Killian groused as the sliding doors at the front of the hospital. It was still dark out and a cold fog had nearly encased the building in a shroud where only a few of the glowing letters on the top level could be seen. "I'm not an invalid."

"I thought we agreed that you were going to let me take care of you," she answered back, tilting her neck back to ease a little of tension. "You're the patient."

"Not for another few minutes." Walking into the building, he blinked against the overabundance of light that hurt his eyes after the darkness outside. "David's going to watch Sparrow, right? I mean I don't want you to have to…"

"David and Henry have it under control. He'll be the most spoiled and well cared for dog in all of Maine." She carefully swerved past the easels with an artist's rendering of planned renovations to the facility. "And I have it under control too. I swear."

"I have no doubt," he told her, pausing to kiss her gently before they made their way to the surgical admitting area. It was busy with nervous looking patients and family members trying to distract them. He scanned it quickly to find the desk where he was supposed to go, but made no move in that direction. "And you're not going to stay tonight, right? You'll go home to Henry and I'll be fine here. I don't even think I'll be awake really so I won't really know."

"Then you won't know if I followed that ridiculous request or not," she murmured. "You know I heard that tickets to Tahiti are half price. We could forget this and head to the airport. Two weeks in Tahiti and I don't think I'd miss this place one bit. That's sounding better and better."

Dropping her hand, he awkwardly fidgeted with the thick leather of his watch band, pulling it off after a bit of a struggle. "They won't let me wear it during the surgery," he explained, placing against the palm of her hand. "You can keep it with you. Make sure you don't stay too late or get here too early. I don't want you neglecting your life because I'm here."

He closed her fingers over the cold metal of the watch. "I'm going to pretend that you didn't just give me instructions to ignore you while you recover. You do realize that I am not going to want to leave you? Hell, I might even crawl in the bed with you in recovery because the idea of sleeping in our bed alone is horrible. You've turned me into a cuddler, Killian and I might not forgive you for that." She gave him a kiss on his cheek. "So this is totally your own doing. But go be a big boy and check in. I'll grab a seat."

"Stubborn lass," he said as he waded through the four other people milling about the desk with clipboards in hand and yelling out questions about when did they have their appendix out or what did Grandma Clare die from. He at least had already done that bit of work.

By the time he made it back to her and where she had dropped all of the stuff, he had to smile. Even in the uncomfortable room with people nervously watching silent television monitors of local and national news, she was looking quite comfortable in her oversized sweater, jeans, and boots. He could catch a glimpse of the silver on his watch when she waved at him almost shyly.

"So your brother is here," she said as he sat.

Raising a thick eyebrow at her he wondered briefly why Liam and Elsa weren't sitting there with her if they were in fact there. He'd told them both that he didn't want that dramatic hospital goodbye and hoped they would simply check in via text with Emma who was of course going to stay through the surgery. "Where?"

She gestured toward a seat near the door with her chin. And he realized why she had been so cryptic. The younger Liam was sitting there staring at a People magazine as though he had not flipped a page in hours. His hair the color of wet sand was messily hanging about his head and cheeks red and almost splotchy. For a moment Killian wondered if the younger Liam had been crying.

"I should…"

Emma pulled her phone out and began to scroll. "I don't know if that's the best of ideas. He may want to be alone."

The decision wasn't Killian's to make, as Liam stood up abruptly, dropped the magazine, and made his way over to them. "I wasn't sure if you wanted to see me or not," he said, shoving his two hands into his pockets. "I mean…well, I owe you a thank you for saving my father's life. Our father's life I would have done this if I was a match, but you…you are. And well, thank you."

"I'm not sure that I deserve that credit," Killian admitted. "I'm sorry that you're having to go through this at all what with losing your mother and all."

Liam wet his lips. "You did too. You're going through this too." His hair was unruly and that stage of long that looked more unkempt that stylish. He was wearing a faded pair of jeans and a hoodie that included the peeling image of some sort of cyborg or something that Emma didn't recognize.

Killian didn't respond right away, sinking into the uncomfortable seat next to Emma and fumbling for her hand now that she had put away the phone. It was her turn to squeeze back in reassurance.

"You're planning to stay during the surgery?" she asked her new brother-in-law. They would be starting on Killian first and then begin with Brennan about half way through. Both men would be in separate rooms adjacent to each other for the procedure. "It's going to be a long wait."

"Yeah," Liam said, shifting his weight from foot to foot. He gave a brief cut of his eyes toward an empty chair and decided against sitting there. "My father doesn't really have anyone else…"

Feeling Killian tense next to her, Emma squeezed his hand tighter. "I understand," she told Liam. "You know once they take Killian back, I'm going to go to the cafeteria. Hospital food sucks, but I was here for a friend a few months ago and they had these frittata muffin things. Those were so good. I'm hoping they have them again today." She squeezed even harder. "Maybe you could join me. I mean we've got to eat, right?"

"Yeah," Liam said, digging his hands into his pockets deeper. "That sounds lovely." He shifted his eyes again toward the chair. "I uh well I got here early to see father, but they said he's been sleeping. I was careful not to wake him up when they let me in for a few minutes." He gave a sort of half smile and looked back toward the door. "I should go back. I just wanted. I wanted to make sure you heard a thank you. I know I didn't handle all this properly."

"He's lucky," Killian said, his voice sounding hoarse. "He's lucky to have you. It's important to have someone who wants to see you get well."

A few minutes later they were alone or at least as much as they could be in a small curtained off area where Killian reclined on a gurney and Emma was sitting on a chair that was wedged between the wall and a cart of machines. "So anything you need to know or want to ask before I go under the knife, love?"

She sighed. "I hate that you're making light of all this. Yes, we need to be positive, but it's surgery, Killian. It's not…"

"Emma, I'm fit and well. I won't leave you for some light in the sky. I promise." His blue eyes looked tired as they studied her and she wondered if he had slept at all the night before. He'd been asleep when she woke up and fixed Henry a quick breakfast to send him off to school. Her son had of course protested and wanted to stay with her, claiming worry over Killian and wanting to be a part of the waiting. She had not wanted to wake her sleeping husband and had let Henry record him a video message despite the fact the boys had said their good lucks the night before. She fumbled for the phone to show that to him.

"I know you're coming back to me," she said, feigning a smile to match the cool demeanor she wanted to portray. "I would be really mad at you if you did leave me. And you don't want to deal with me being mad."

"The thought frightens me to my core, love." The curtain that didn't fully close around him opened and a nurse in salmon colored scrubs poked her frizzy haired head into the space.

"Mr. Jones, there is another Mr. Jones here to see you. He said to tell you that he's content to wait in the waiting room. He also said to tell you that he doesn't care what you say he's going to be here for you." She blushed to the shade of her hair. "So that's the message."

Emma patted her husband's arm. "Don't be mad or surprised. He loves you. You're his brother."

"Aye, I'll talk to him if you could lead him back here." Rolling his head on the stark white pillow, he looked at Emma thoughtfully as the woman walked away. "I suppose we should say what we need to say before he comes in?"

She nodded, her teeth sinking into the flesh of her bottom lip. "I don't want to say goodbye so I'm going to wish you luck and pleasant dreams while you're sleeping, okay?" Her eyes were brimming with tears and from what he could see love. "I'm not exactly a tearful goodbye person."

He could have cracked a joke, tried to make her smile or better yet laugh. But he didn't do that. Instead, he lifted his head off the pillow and strained to get closer to her. She met him more than halfway for a sound kiss, her hand stroking his cheek and then trailing down his neck. "I love you."

She kept her eyes closed, running the tip of her tongue over her lips. "I know. I love you too. And even if I hate that you're doing this, I'm really very proud of you."

"Emma it's going to be fine. I'm going to be fine."

She lifted her head a bit. "I know. I really do know that. I'm just not good at this. You kind of mean a lot to me what with being my husband and all."

***AAA***

Liam didn't immediately return to the waiting room, having learned that Emma planned to take the youngest brother for breakfast. He wanted to think, wanted to ponder how Killian could be so strong minded and brave, not to mention selfless. Wandering, he passed by a few of the quieter units and learned to tune out the incessant calling of staff across the intercom. A fruitless visit to the cramped gift shop later, he found Elsa sitting with her back against the window and her eyes closed. The cord of her earbuds was a stark white against the navy of her sweater. Her lips moved slightly as she mentally sang along with the recording.

Reaching a hand out, he ran his knuckles across the apple of her cheek and grinned as she jumped from being startled. "Any word?" she asked, removing one of the buds and using her finger to stop the music from playing. "Emma's not back yet."

"Not a bloody word," he sighed, the back of his head hitting the cold glass window. The fog was beginning to break and there were moments of clear views of the water a few blocks away and the cannery in the distance. "And don't give me that tired line of no news being good news."

She nodded, putting the phone and earbuds away in her own bag. "They'll come out soon and talk to us. I am sure that they just want to have something to report."

He exhaled through his mouth, the force of the air blowing a few of the curls against his forehead. "I'm not a patient man, darling. I thought that was already established."

"Anything I can do?" she asked. "Remember I do give a pretty mean neck massage." She motioned for him to turn and kneaded the flesh of his shoulders as they both talked about anything other than Killian's surgery. The conversation quieted to talk of Anna's pregnancy and whether they should purchase something expensive or do something more heartfelt.

"It seems to me that with all the people here in Storybrooke that their closets will be overflowing with outfits, furniture, and toys for the wee one. Perhaps we should think of something else rather than that high chair."

Her fingers dug into the sensitive area where his shoulders me his neck and he groaned in appreciation. Both of them stifled laughs as an older woman shot them a disapproving look. "What if we recorded something?"

"Like a movie?"

She slapped the back of his neck playfully. "No, I mean like a song. A lullaby?"

He turned his head, leaving the rest of his body at the mercy of her ministrations. "A brilliant idea, darling. Something classic, perhaps? A proper lullaby? Or should we…"

"Maybe we could do a real one and then write one? I bet Emma could help us get some recording time. This probably isn't a good time to ask her, but I'll do it soon."

He rolled his head from side to side as she continued to knead the tenseness out of him. "If she's at all like me, she'd welcome the distraction. Though I'm not sure that would be all that helpful. I'm quite sure this is a difficult time for her."

***AAA***

Emma once thought that sitting in waiting rooms and pacing down corridors that smelled of astringent were limited to bad television. At her age she had seen far too much of the inside of the hospital, finding herself knowing which vending machines were more prone to giving away free or extra food and which tended to keep her money with no reward.

As she sat, her legs folded under her awkwardly in a chair that did not lend itself to such contortions, she watched the double swinging doors for a nurse or doctor who would tell her that everything was going to be just fine. There was no reason that it shouldn't be anything but fine. Yet with each swipe of the hands of the clock, she wondered if that was just her mind coping with the possibility that she might have one of the shortest marriages on record.

"So I was thinking to go with blue," Mary Margaret said from a few chairs down. "Soothing and yet trendy. But not too overpowering."

Not actually involved in the conversation, Emma ran a finger over the engagement ring and wedding band on her left hand. Both still felt oddly foreign there despite the happiness she had felt about the addition of them. She studied them for a moment, considering the platinum bands and soft shimmer even under the harsh florescent light. She was married, not just dating, not just hanging out. She was Killian's wife and he was her husband.

"Do you think Killian likes blue?" she heard the teacher ask. Emma lifted her eyes to meet the nearly same green colored ones staring back at her.

"For your baby's nursery?" Emma asked, contorting her face in confusion. "Killian is…I'm not sure that he'd care that much."

Mary Margaret accepted the swatch back from Elsa who sat across from her and smiled patiently. "Actually I was talking about the chairs and accent walls in each classroom. I was thinking this shade of blue." She rolled her head from side to side. "It's still too early to be worried. They just took him back there," she looked at the time on her phone, "an hour ago."

"I know," Emma said, leaning forward to look at the swatch. "It looks good. I know he has a shirt that color. He wore it…" She broke off and cupped her hand around the watch again. "He wears it a lot."

Looking sympathetic, Mary Margaret placed her balled hands at her chin. "I'm about to have to head back to the school since my planning period is almost over, but David's on his way. Maybe he could bring you something? Lunch? Snack food? You have to eat."

"I did," Emma told her gently. "I am fine. I promise."

"And so is he," Elsa chimed in. "You know he's stubborn as hell. You both are. Don't worry."

"Easier said that done," Emma chided, her eyes heavy as she studied the clock on the wall over the nurse's station. "So does anyone think it's too soon for me to check?"

"When was the last time?" Elsa asked her, passing the paint samples back to Mary Margaret with a gentle shove. "I'm sure you have…right?"

"About 22 minutes and 45 seconds," Emma admitted glumly. "They said they would let me know." She pulled her tablet back into her lap. "I've read this damn email six times already. Yet I can't even tell you what it says." She threw her head back in exasperation. "Regina might be right about my ability to juggle all this."

"Regina can be a witch," Elsa said, yanking the tablet and perusing the email. "So this is about the rights to the song of Killian's that we sang. Someone is asking if it might be for sale or if they can get a use permit for a movie."

"Oh," Emma said, rubbing her temples. "I guess we could ask him…"

Elsa tapped the screen and quickly typed out a response. "I told them that it is negotiable, but that you are currently out of the office and the songwriter is not available for discussion until next week at the earliest." She paused with her finger hovered over the return. "Works for you?"

"You know if this singing and performing thing doesn't work out, I could use you in the office."

"It's good to have options," Elsa said, tapping send and then scrolling through the other emails. "You were scheduling Liam and the guys some dates?"

"Yeah," Emma said, not bothering to demand back the device. "After the surgery and all. I mean Liam's not restricted from travel by the court now so…"

"You've got a few responses back. Want me to line them up for you? I'm seeing one or two that might conflict, but…"

Pretending to surrender, Emma held up her hands. "Go ahead. You seem to have this under control."

Elsa did have it under control. She managed to schedule a few dates, work out a conflict about studio time, and solicit a few demo offers before handing the phone and tablet back to her friend. "I'm going to go check on Liam. He and Robin have been gone way too long. It is crazy, but I keep getting the image of him finding a pair of scrubs and sneaking into Killian's surgery."

Smiling faintly, Emma nodded. "I wouldn't put it past him. He'd probably grab the scalpel too." Blinking at the standing singer, Emma sighed. "Thank you. For all that and for being here. It does mean a lot."

"Family and all that," Elsa said with a shrug. Given that Anna's a crazy pregnant lady right now, you're my sane sister. I can't have you going crazy too."

***AAA***

It had been four hours. Four hours since she had kissed her husband and wished him sweet dreams during the surgery. Four hours since he had called her his love and reminded her that Sparrow would need a new set of shots before he was to be released from the hospital. Four hours since his fingertips had traced over her cheek and beseeched her not to cry. Four hours since he teased her with thoughts of a trip they didn't know when they were going to take and the idea of frolicking on a beach with not a care in the world. Not that Emma was counting.

"Does it normally take this long?" Anna asked, crossing her legs at her ankles and brushing off Elsa's attempts to get her to eat something other than cheese puffs dipped in chocolate. The woman's cravings were not exactly appetizing to the others who had gathered in the not so big surgical waiting area for word on Killian.

"I'm sure we will hear something soon," Mary Margaret consoled, looking with a mixture of pity and concern at Emma who had about an hour before moved to a seat closer to the window out of need to just be alone for a little bit with her thoughts.

Killian had told them all that he was going to be fine, going to make it through the surgery, and did not need them to sit vigil while he lay open on the operating table. They ignored that part, gathering around in what Ruby told him with playful slap to his arm was a show of support of his wife and not necessarily him. "You get to go to dreamland and recover in peace while your wife will be worried sick and probably chewing on her nails to avoid thoughts of you leaving her."

The elder Liam had paced the length of the hospital to the point that his fitbit was registering more steps than he normally took in a month. Nobody fought it though and a few of them even joined him on a few rounds just to offer supportive conversation. When Robin arrived he took over that responsibility with Elsa, who was fielding a few interview opportunities about the latest single release. Normally such things would go through Emma, but Elsa was trying to do things a bit more independently.

"He seems strong," the younger Liam said, approaching her shyly. His coloring and accent were different than Killian's style, but there were similarities. The way he stood and looked almost nervous as he ran his teeth over his lips and ran a finger behind his ear when he spoke.

"He is," Emma agreed, dimming the screen of her tablet as she looked the young man in the eye. She'd had very little contact with him, as Killian had done much of that. "I'm sure your father is too. I only met him the one time, but he's…"

"He likes you, said you're good for Killian." The young man let his brown eyes, so different from both his brothers' blue ones, stare wildly at the waiting room. "He told me that like 10 times or something."

Emma swallowed as she tipped back the foam coffee cup and found it empty. "I could use some coffee and maybe something to eat."

Apologetically the young Liam stepped backward. "I didn't mean to…I can go get you something. I know there's a cart around here someplace."

She shook her head and removed Killian's jacket from her lap that she was using as a blanket and put her tablet back in her messenger bag. "I could use the walk. Come with me?"

***AAA***

Robin leaned on his elbows along the railing, staring down at the hospital's lobby. "It's a bit odd to look down at a Christmas tree," he said with a soft nudge to Liam's shoulder. "Any plans for the holidays yet?"

"I think Elsa would like to spend it with her sister and aunt, but I'm not so sure I'm invited to that."

"The aunt doesn't like you so much?"

"No," Liam said between yawns into his cupped hands. "She would rather see Elsa with someone more sensible and…" He let his mind drift and his eyes squinted out the window at the clock tower in the distance. "Are they ever going to let us know how he's doing? It's been a bloody eternity."

Robin lifted his shoulders in a silent sort of admission that he had no idea what was happening. With Marian it had been fast, the word that she was gone had come before he had even time to process the possibility. It seemed that waiting in hospitals was a thing that other people did, not him. "Perhaps we should see what the others are about? They probably have a better idea."

Liam didn't move except to stare down at the first floor again and the top of the Christmas tree. "I am not going to lie. It's hard to see Emma like this. I see her worrying and yet staying silent and think that she is quite a bit stronger than I am. I feel like shaking every prat in scrubs or a uniform. She is…"

"No doubt she's beside herself on the inside." Robin turned toward the bank of elevators. "It's like watching people be sick to their stomachs. You think you're fine. You tell yourself you're fine. Then you see it, smell it, and hear the retching. Suddenly you're just as sick as the rest of them. But until the moment you know it is coming up, you're telling yourself that you're fine."

Liam scrubbed his hand over his face again. "Did you just compare my brother and his bride's love for one another to retching up their lunch?" Appalled, he looked at the man who was about two inches shorter and still bundled in his jacket as though he had just arrived. Maybe he had. People had been coming and going for hours. Robin had been there that morning, left to see Regina and speak with Roland's teacher about some issue, and returned with word that he had saved them all from a visit from Will.

"I didn't mean that," Robin argued, his cheeks reddening with what Liam could only hope was humiliation over the gaffe. "I only meant people say they are strong even when they are falling apart inside. It was a bad analogy, mate."

"I hope you're better at giving talks to your son. Otherwise the poor lad might have a twisted view of the world."

***AAA***

The teachers and staff of Storybrooke Academy came by in small clumps to check on Killian, offering thoughts, prayers, and stories of when their own loved ones had been in the hospital. Their stays were short as they simply used their planning periods and lunch to make the couple of blocks trek in the worsening weather. Even Ruby slipped in after Granny had called her useless for texting with Mary Margaret about Killian's condition so much that she missed taking five different orders. The older woman wasn't that upset though and packed her and Graham down with enough hot food to feed an army. Even sporting a folding table, she set up a sort of buffet in the waiting area and fed all who were there for the teacher.

"So I had a thought," Ruby said, sitting in one of the uncomfortable chairs with her uniform from the diner still on. "That wedding dress I was making you."

"I'm going to pay for that still," Emma said, her eyes too tired and bleary to read the book that she had packed in her bag. She'd brought it for Killian anyway, as he was the reader between them. She had pictured herself tucked in beside him on the narrow hospital bed trying to read from one of his favorite novels while he rested his eyes. He would make fun of her attempts at an English accent, calling her own flat yet beautiful. "I thought you understood the whole move it ahead thing…"

"Oh yeah," Ruby said flashing her hand through the air as if she hadn't given that a second thought. "No, I was thinking that if I died the fabric and shortened it some that it would make a good date dress. Maybe a welcome home from the hospital now I am totally going to seduce my husband dress." She smiled brightly as Graham to her left who had an arm over the back of her chair was biting back a laugh.

"Whatever you do," he said with a shake of his head, "don't go into marketing, Ruby."

She huffed indignantly, dropping his hand that she had been holding. "I'm not kidding. You guys barely had a honeymoon. You need a date night. I mean we have to do girls night again soon, but date night is important too."

"Got it," Emma said, crumpling the napkin in her hand and gesturing toward the bank of vending machines. "I think there is a trash can over there. I'm going to go look."

It wasn't that she didn't want date night. She did. She wanted to dance with her husband, make love after a glass of wine and conversation that she couldn't have with anyone else. She wanted to play games on the boardwalk again, try to beat him at competitions, and taste cotton candy on his lips. She wanted to sit by their Christmas tree and sip cocoa while snuggling and stealing kisses. She wanted to watch the school's holiday concert, cheer for her son's solo, and beam proudly as her husband acted as director and conductor. But it all seemed so far away while sitting in the hospital waiting room with no word about him.

She tossed the napkin away, brushed a crumb off her sweater, and turned to head back to her well meaning friends. They were at least taking turns, Anna having bought a stuffed reindeer for her to snuggle with and Elsa acting as her assistant, even warding off a call from Regina about a missing file. She had acted as go between for the two Liams, making sure that neither were in the same area at the same time. Mary Margaret was a distraction, making decorating and curriculum choices, even surveying people about names for the baby. Emma loved them all. But the one she wanted right now was Killian.

Suddenly a force of navy and khaki practically knocked her down. Her son, who should have been in school, was clinging on to her with a force so heavy that she felt like he had been propelled there by a magical force.

Emma cradled her son against her chest, not bothering to question how he was there when he should still be at school or who had driven him to the hospital. There were some things better left unsaid when it came to parenting. "I'm glad you're here, kid," she said, her arms tightening and her body rocking back and forth. "You know that, right?"

"I belong here," he told her, his voice muffled against her sweater. "He's my dad too."

Still holding him to her tightly, she opened her eyes to see Neal standing there next to the vending machines with a sort of lopsided grin. "Hey, Em," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking back on the heels of his dress shoe loafers. "So I know you probably…"

She shook her head slightly to tell him that explanations weren't necessary. But he didn't pay attention. "Henry called and said Killian was in the hospital. Said he'd take a cab if he had to do it. I didn't trust him not to do just that. Probably steal my father's credit card to pay for it."

"Thanks," Emma said, resting her chin awkwardly on Henry's head. She had to raise up on to the balls of her feet and strain her neck with his added height. "I appreciate it."

Loosening her grip, she grabbed the lapels of her son's school uniform jacket and cleared her throat. "So Liam, Elsa, and Anna went upstairs to look through the nursery window to see all the new babies. Want to go join them?"

Smile broadening, Henry nodded quickly. "Yeah, is Killian okay? You never said."

"I haven't heard yet, but don't worry. I'm sure everything is fine. And don't try to convince Liam you need food. We'll eat dinner in the cafeteria later or you can have some of this stuff that Ruby brought, okay?"

Mary Margaret lumbered upward and linked her arm with her former student's elbow. "I'll walk you up. I kind of want to see them too." She smoothed her hand down Emma's sleeve and gripped her hand solidly. "I'm sure your mom could use a moment."

The two of them disappeared down one of the corridors and Kristoff excused himself to make a phone call. From her spot there by the vending machines, she regarded her ex warily, his eyes shifting across the floor and his hands going deeper into his pockets. Emma folded her arms across her chest. "I am surprised to see you out…"

"Being jilted isn't exactly the worst thing to ever happen to me, Em. I'm tougher than that." He rocked back again. "So is he really okay? Killian?"

"I haven't heard anything," Emma told him, her tone even and hollow. "They took him back hours ago."

"I'm sure he's…"

She held a hand up, her left one. The engagement ring and wedding band glimmered in the light as she waved off his platitudes that meant very little to her. "I know. So I'll get him home. Don't worry. Thanks again for bringing him."

"Sure, I mean he's like Henry's dad too, right?"

Emma felt the forced smile she had been holding slide off her face. "Seriously, Neal. What do you want him to say? Killian is his teacher and his stepfather. They are pretty close for being what they are. And you're not always...This doesn't have anything to do with you. Henry caring about my husband like a father isn't a reflection on you. It's a reflection on the fact that Henry cares about someone who is very important to me."

Neal gave a little bit of a shrug, his parka falling open to reveal a suit that could have used another swipe of the iron. "I said it is fine. It's not like we were ever getting back together."

"No, we weren't. That has nothing to do with Killian or Tamara or the next woman you date. We are Henry's parents. And we need to be able to deal with things without automatically seeing each other as the enemy."

Pulling his coat closed and rocking on his feet, Neal nodded after a moment of what Emma hoped was reflection. "For what it's worth, Ems, I never thought of you as the enemy. You're more...well, I hope things go okay with Killian. I mean I'm sure he's going to be fine. And if you need me to do anything…"

She hesitated, wetting her lips as she let the words that would hurt and the ones that would have come so easily fall into the atmosphere without being uttered. "Maybe you could do something with Henry this weekend? I know he'd like that. And if Killian's back home, I'll be on nurse duty…"

"Sure, that's not a problem. Anything you need. Just let me know what time and where to pick him up."

"I'll call," Emma said, frowning as he spun around to head toward the door. "Neal, just so you know. I am sorry about the whole thing with Tamara. Nobody deserves that kind of treatment. And I hope that you...well, I hope that you do find someone someday."

"Yeah," he said his head rolling on his shoulders as if he had just woken up and needed to stretch. "Who knew it was so hard to find Tallahassee?"

She pushed her hair back over her shoulder and considered that for a minute. In their brief life together as a couple, Tallahassee had been their dream spot, close to the ocean for her and with plenty of opportunities for him. They talked about it like it was some mythical place where all their dreams would come true. It was funny in a way, the accidental way they chose that goal off a children's placemat. She had not considered it in years. "Keep looking. It's out there."

***AAA***

It was almost six hours after they took him back for surgery that Dr. Whale entered the room, his scrubs sweaty and his face concerned. Holding his scrub cap fisted in his hands, he nodded in Ruby's direction. "Emma?" he asked, interrupting a quiet conversation she was having with the older Liam and Elsa.

She glanced up, the conversation seemed to stop in the little clumps of people who were seated around the room. "Killian is…"

Dr. Whale exhaled and gave her a half sort of smile. "The surgery is complete," he said somewhat vaguely. "The surgeon has successfully completed the transplant. Brennan Jones will be in ICU for a day or two, as there were a few complications that we need to…"

"And Killian…" Liam interrupted, his hands clenching into fists. "You know the one we're all here…"

Swallowing hard, the doctor motioned toward another door that had not been used at all during their wait. "It's probably easier if I speak to Killian's wife privately."

The bile in her stomach began to rise as she stood up and followed the doctor into the small room. It was sparsely decorated with three chairs, a floor lamp, and tissues on an otherwise bare table. She knew that it was never supposed to be good news if the doctor wished to speak to the family privately, as they normally did so to soften a blow. While she supposed the Liam could have joined her, he had seemed frozen in place as she marched behind the glass and wood door.

"Something's wrong, isn't it?" she asked as the doctor, a man she knew quite well outside the hospital too took the seat across from her.

"The surgery went a bit long because…well, Mr. Jones had some issues with the anesthesia. To be honest a mistake was made and a small hole was punctured in his right lung. I wasn't aware of the issue until after I had already removed a portion of his liver. As we were finishing up with his part of the surgery…" He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "As we were finishing up, I realized that there was a problem."

Her chest was tight and breathing was becoming a problem as she tried to read the man's eyes that wouldn't meet her own hardened gaze. "Victor, please just tell me what happened. Is he okay?"

"His lung collapsed just as I was closing up. It caused his heart to work too hard and while we were confirming via x-ray, he went into arrest. We have him stable now and he's breathing on a ventilator. I'm not sure it's necessary, but I wanted to give him some assistance recovering. I've taken him up to ICU where they are getting him set up."

"Can I see him?" she asked, arms folded across herself as she clutched to the fabric of her sleeves. "I want to see him."

"There are special visiting hours for the ICU, but yes, of course. Give me a few minutes to get everything updated and I'll have someone take you up." He gave her a wary smile and stood up, heading to the door. "Just to update you, his father will be in the cube across the hall. I'm going to talk to his son…"

"He's waiting in the main waiting area," Emma explained, shivering despite the warmth in the room. "His name is also Liam."

***AAA***

The ICU was a dark place, the sounds of alarms, bells, and machines echoed in the long hallway of beds partitioned off by glass walls. Killian's older brother walked with Emma back to see him, his hand on her shoulder as a busy looking nurse greeted them and pointed toward the bed where he was sleeping sort of catty corner in the bed with a tube taped to the side of his mouth.

Liam stayed back as Emma approached the bed, her fingers brushing the hair across his forehead before dropping a kiss there softly. She swallowed a few times before glancing back at Liam. "He's strong. He's going to be fine."

"He's a stubborn arse," Liam agreed, taking a step closer. "Just couldn't do this the easy way, could he?"

"That's not his style." Her fingers drifted down to where his hand should be, finding an inflated boxing like glove to cover it instead. She frowned, but assumed that was to prevent him from pulling out the tube.

"You're going to be fine," she whispered to him, stooping down so that she was next to his head. "Remember our deal. I'm not saying goodbye to you." Her forehead touched his temple as she closed her eyes and tried not to dwell on the surroundings. The smell of antiseptic, the whir of the ventilator, and the sallowness of his skin were all things she would rather forget.

They stayed a while longer, until the nurse said they had to leave. While Emma considered protesting, it was Liam who pointed out that there were not even chairs in the room for them to sit on and visit with him. "He wants you to go home," Liam reminded her when the nurse firmly told them that it was time to go.

"No, I'm not going," Emma said sternly. The nurse must have heard her, returning to the ICU waiting area with a thin blanket and pillow that seemed nearly as flat. Pointing to a wall with three recliners, she said it was first come first serve. Emma noted that two were already taken.

Sighing, Liam twisted his mouth and pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Fine, stay the night. I'll be here in the morning for first visit. Then you're going home. I'll stay tomorrow." He gave her a sort of one armed hug. "We'll take turns. That way he can't kill us both and we can make sure someone is here."

Emma nodded, made a few texts, and waited to hear back from David and Mary Margaret who were to take Henry home with them. She pushed off anyone who wanted to stay or visit, explaining the hours and insisting she was fine. Settling into the chair closest to the wall so that she could charge her phone and tablet, she tried to relax a little in the crowded room where people in all sorts of emotional states huddled in corners to talk about next steps and plans.

She only meant to close her eyes for a moment, but sleep overcame her and she dozed while waiting for any word about the change in his condition. Dr. Whale had insisted he was going to be fine, but she wanted proof. She wanted to see his eyes open and hear him call her love again.

The chair next to her creaked as someone sat down, and Emma pried open one eye to see who had saved that seat. The short dark hair was all the clue she needed. "Mary Margaret," she said warningly.

"And Ruby," the teacher was quick to say. "Elsa went home with Liam. And we didn't think you needed 100 question Anna. So here we are." She was thumbing through a magazine and looked all too comfortable.

She tugged on the hospital blanket that was much too small even for her petite frame. "You guys didn't have to do this."

Ruby leaned forward in her chair and smiled almost wickedly. "I wasn't going home and neither was Mary Margaret. Now you can sleep. We brought DVDs. I have snacks. And I even brought Monopoly. But just so you know, I'm not going easy on you just because your husband is sick. Boardwalk and the railroads are mine."

A/N: When I was writing this story almost a year ago, my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. It was a freak thing that I never thought would happen. Emma's experience at the hospital was much like mine. I was surrounded by family and friends, but felt very much alone. A surgery that was supposed to take 90 minutes took six hours before we knew what had happened. They had punctured her good lung during the surgery. The doctor didn't realize it and finished up only to have her lung collapse and her heart stop. Thankfully they were able to reinflate her lung and brought her back. But I sat there thinking as he told me this, "Is she okay? He hasn't said she's okay. He keeps talking about what happened, but what about now?"

This May she will have been cancer free for a year. And like Emma in this story, I couldn't leave her in ICU alone. So I did sleep in a recliner while my friends came and stayed with me. They kept me entertained and supported. Since I wanted Emma's friendships to be an important part of this story, I thought I would end this chapter with them there to support her – girls' night in the hospital.