A/NI know this has been a long time coming, I didn't forget, in fact I've had most of this written for months. Unfortunately real life got in the way big time. I worked a lot over Christmas and when I had "free time" I wasn't in the mood to write. It seems I have been bitten my the muse again and I am pleased to say have finally finished this story. Now I can work on others...
From the span of one heart beat to the next Emma's whole world stops.
She aims for Neal's left shoulder well above his heart, but it doesn't stop blood exploding from his chest. Behind him Gold feels the impact of the bullet, Emma calculates the exact moment it exits Neal and lodges itself into Gold's chest. In shock he drops the dagger and the flowers, as they both tumble backwards, Emma feels like she's watching the whole thing happen in slow motion.
She runs to Neal's side her progress impeded by the fact it feels like her sneakers are full of lead.
"Neal, Neal" Emma knows it's her voice that is calling out but it sounds like it's coming from miles away. She presses her hand over the hole, the hole she made, in the vain attempt to stop the bleeding. His blood is everywhere, it coats her hands.
His eyes are still open, if a little glassed over, staring at her, and he coughs but no blood comes out. That's a good thing she thinks.
"Emma, I" he starts but cuts off as the sound of sirens draws ever closer.
"Shh, it's going to be okay" Emma placates, "Graham is coming, an ambulance is coming, you'll be fine." She gives him a watery smile, trying not to let her eyes tear up too much.
The paramedics rush to Killian first but Emma draw's their attention to Neal.
"He can wait, this man has been shot" she shouts, and Killian agrees with her, she can faintly hear him telling the EHS people to 'bugger off'. Neal's gun shot wound is much more severe than a few broken ribs.
Blood, too much blood, Emma is not weak stomached but she doesn't think anyone should have to sit and watch their ex-boyfriend, the father of their child, bleed out. When the paramedics go to move in she selfishly tries to grab onto him. It's illogical and irrational, they are there to save him but should he die Emma wants it to be in her arms.
"Mam, excuse us mam, we can save him, please let us do our job." It's a woman's voice trying to comfort her and Emma knows she right. She lets Neal go.
Suddenly Henry is there beside her and oh God Henry, what must he think?
He doesn't say anything just wraps his arms around her neck, when he pulls away he too is covered in blood, his father's blood.
"Mam, would you like to ride in the ambulance?" the female paramedic asks, and suddenly it's too much. She can't and shakes her head no.
"Henry, go with your father. I'll be there soon." She says kissing her son on his forehead.
"Sheriff coming though" Graham's voice cuts through the fog of Emma's mind as the man himself squeezes past a gathering crowd of curious onlookers.
"I don't want to leave you mom" Henry whines, and she doesn't blame him but the staff at the hospital will take good care of him until she can get there.
"Please Henry, for me. Your father needs you to be there with him" she pleads and Henry gives acquiesce.
It's a process, securing Gold to his own stretcher, placing him under arrest for a whole slew of reasons, accessory to Kidnapping, and freeing a prisoner are only the tip of the iceberg.
Emma is at breaking point she has claim a piece of pavement as her own when she feels a familiar arm wrap around her shoulder.
"Red?" she asks, "When did you get here? How did you know to come?"
"I, ah, came with Graham" she stammers out, unsure.
"With Graham? Did he try arresting you for solicitation, I'll have to have a word with him." a sudden silent rage fills Emma. Not every scantily clad woman who walks down the street is a hooker, although Ruby used to be today she is dressed in the black pants and crisp white shirt of a waitress.
"This is why I didn't want to tell you. I know you guys are close but, Graham is my boyfriend." Ruby confesses.
"Graham is Richard Gere?" Emma near shouted in her shock.
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Emma hated hospitals. They were too bright, too clean. Emma made her way down the now familiar hallway smiling at the nurses she recognized. She paused outside room 408 as Killian's voice floated through the partially open door.
"You would think this stuff contained medicinal properties the way they hand it out in here" he says.
"Killian, shut up and eat your Jell-O" Neal teases back.
Emma stifles a laugh, she still can't believe they're both ok, that both her boys made it through this tough ordeal. She takes a deep breath and walks in the room, a very real smile plastered on her face.
"Are you two behaving in here, of do I need to call for the nurse?" she asks playfully.
Instantly two heads turn toward her, eyes alight, "Emma" both Neal and Killian say with equal amounts of enthusiasm.
"Emma," Neal pleads, "move me before I kill him" he points dramatically at Killian. He's smiling so she knows he's only joking.
Killian chuckles softly before clutching his hand to his side.
"It still hurts when I laugh" he said winking at Emma, "thank goodness my other parts are working just fine."
"Ugh, do I have to listen to this?" Neal asked turning his head. It was part mocking with an underling bitter edge.
Emma pulled up a chair to sit in between the two beds, a smile still on her face. As much as she would never admit it, she loved Killian's innuendos. Killian's right hand is dangling over the edge of the bed and Emma impulsively reaches out to grab it.
"Oi, I saved your life mate." Killian accuses, giving Emma's hand a light squeeze.
Sitting there holding Killian's hand, Emma is the most relaxed she's been in ages.
"What kind of advice is 'shoot the hostage' anyways?" Neal asked.
"It's from a movie" Killian explains, "Speed, I think."
"You took advice from a Keanu Reeves movie?" Neal asks admonished.
Killian opens his mouth to retort but Emma has let this go on long enough.
"Boys, please" she placates. August and Henry should be along soon, they were just getting some coffee and a snack in the cafeteria.
For almost a minute they are blissfully quiet but boys will be boys and Neal tries to get one more dig in.
"So you really think that clot is your Prince Charming?" Neal asks Emma
"Watch it" Killian protests, Emma feels the muscle in is arm twitch and she knows he would get up and pummel Neal if he could.
"He's not a prince" Emma said incredulously. Turning to look at Killian she smiles at him and he winks back at her. "He's a pirate."
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Two Weeks Later
The shades at The Pawn Shoppe have all been pulled down and a little paper taped to the door reads "Closed for private function."
Emma has just wheeled Killian through the door, he's stuck in the wheelchair another few days. The assembled crowed cheers and Killian waves his hand to quiet them, ever the modest concurring hero. Henry wastes no time rushing over to his mother and promptly attacking the chair bound man. Killian's ribs are still heeling and he stifles a moan of pain.
Neal is the new owner of The Pawn Shoppe and the redecorating has already begun, August is his co-owner and they are keeping all the "princesses" on as wait staff.
Emma is thrilled to discover Mary Margret is the waitress who David had a date with, it's cute how they are together. Graham and Ruby are doing good too and Emma thinks again about what awaits her and Killian.
She's afraid it won't work out. Afraid of letting him into her already damaged heart. She still owes him a proper date, the thing he wants most. It makes her heart leap to feel wanted by him, or any one. Surround by all these people, all these smiling faces Emma is confronted with the thing she has always wanted most, a family. Emma has one now, this is Emma's evidence.
A/N Thank you to everyone for reading, reviewing, and keeping on my case! I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it!