by Harold Wall
Emerald froze and looked over at him trying to decide if he was being serious or not. She finally concluded that it was because of the lack of blood to his brain.
"We need to get you to the hospital." She repeated, pushing him just a tiny bit harder.
"I totally thought he was going to attack you." Storm continued, unashamed by his previous comment, confirming Emerald's theory of lack of blood to the brain.
"He did attack me." Emerald stated dryly.
Storm chuckled. "I didn't mean in that way." Emerald looked over at him again and he winked. Her mouth dropped open and she turned back to face the front.
"Oh my God, Storm."
"No, seriously. I don't think you realize just how tempting you look, tonight. If I were him, I don't think I'd be able to help myself."
Emerald stopped short and looked at him again, shocked more than ever, questioning how badly hurt he was.
He just smiled at her.
"We really need to get you to the hospital." she muttered pushing onward.
"He really said that?" Carter halfsquealed, halflaughed.
Emerald nodded, repressing a smile. It was pretty funny, thinking about it. And now that she was talking about memories of last night flooded back, crystal clear in her mind,
separate and concise. No longer a blur and a jumble of distorted memories.
When they arrived at the hospital Storm was practically dead on his feet. Nurses rushed in to help him as soon as she entered, begging for their assistance. There was a bunch of
talk and the next thing Emerald knew Storm was being rolled away on a gurney with five nurses surrounding him, two pushing with the third holding a breathing mask over his mouth and nose and other two trying to stop the bleeding.
Emerald let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in, before taking a big, shaky breath in. Now she had to wait. For how long, she wasn't sure because she knew that those
lacerations were deep enough for stitches. And this was confirmed when she heard a nurse calling to get him to the OR stat as the doors that unauthorized personnel were never
allowed to enter swung shut.
She warily took a seat in the waiting room, feeling exhausted but it lasted for only a little while before she was up and pacing. Finally a doctor came out, searching the area. She
quickly walked up to her.
"Storm Kallahan?" she asked to make sure.
"Yes, are you the one who brought him in?" the doctor asked.
She nodded. "How is he?" Her throat tightened as she waited.
"He's in stable condition. He needed a lot of stitches and a transfusion but he'll be just fine. The wounds, however, are bad enough that we'd like to keep him overnight and make
sure there won't be any other complications that might pop up." she answered to Emerald's complete and utter relief.
"May I go see him?"
"Of course, but I'd like to warn you he's sleeping, so do be quiet, please." With that she turned and led Emerald to Storm's room. The first thing that assaulted Emerald was the
smell, the smell of different people's blood mixed together in one body. It wasn't very pleasant.
"Thank you," she told the doctor quietly who nodded and bowed out, closing the door softly as she did so. Breathing shallowly, Emerald made her way over to the side of Storm's
bed, making sure to keep the click of her shoes quiet.
The color hadn't quite come back. There was a heartrate monitor hooked up to him as well as an IV drip and then another tube or wire that Emerald didn't know also hooked up to
him as well. His arms were wrapped in gauze with a line of red spotting through. And though she couldn't see it because of the hospital gown, she guessed that his whole torso had
also been wrapped in gauze, and his legs possibly, too.
There were two butterfly bandaids on a cut right above Storm's left eyebrow but the other cuts—two on his right cheek, one on his left—were bandaged up.
Emerald reached out and stroked the back of Storm's hand.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her eyes getting misty, hating seeing him like this. But that was the price to being human, being susceptible to these kinds of things.
Storm's hand twitched and his eyelids fluttered. Emerald jumped and quickly removed her hand from his just as Storm mumbled her name. This made Emerald's heart jump in her
chest, but she quickly shook it off and quietly exited the room. She needed to call Storm's dad and his girlfriend. They'd want to know, for sure.
"Aww, that's so cute!" Carter said. Emerald looked at her. "Oh, sorry." She composed her face to a really serious one, with her eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Totally not cute at all. What a jerk." Emerald rolled her eyes.
"This isn't supposed to cute or funny," Emerald reminded her, though Carter providing some sort of comedic relief in Emerald's life was helping her cope with the pain of still
knowing that Storm didn't want her and that she basically told both him and Valerie off.
Adrian and Echo arrived about a half hour after Emerald had called.
"Where is he? Is he okay?" Adrian asked, breathless like he'd ran all the way here.
"He's fine. The doctor said he's in stable condition but they're holding him overnight. But he'll be fine. He's sleeping right now." Emerald informed both of them before Adrian and
Echo went inside, Emerald staying outside to let them have their privacy.
They came out about twenty minutes later.
"Have you called Valerie?" Emerald asked, the question burning like acid in her mouth.
"No, we just wanted to see Storm, first." Echo answered.
"I should go do that soon, then."
Echo and Adrian exchanged a glance.
"Actually, she'll probably be sleeping right now. There's really no reason to disturb her so late at night." Adrian answered.
"Storm's pretty beat up and if I were his… girlfriend still… I'd probably want to know regardless of the time."
"Sweetie," Echo said gently, taking a step forward and putting a hand on Emerald's shoulder. "He's asking for you, specifically."
"He… he was talking in his sleep earlier. He's probably still just a little delirious from all that's happened tonight… or his pain meds or something." Emerald shook her head, not
wanting to have her get her hopes up only to have them crushed cruelly.
Echo looked back at Adrian and they exchanged another glance.
"He… looked… pretty awake to me." Adrian said slowly.
Emerald chewed her lip, uncertain. "I don't know…" She trailed off, warily looking at Storm's closed door.
"Well, whatever you choose, we have to be going now. Work tomorrow. Need all the sleep we can get." Adrian finally said.
"Oh, yes, of course."
"Thank you for calling us." Echo stepped forward then pulling Emerald in for a short hug. It was such a sudden gesture that Emerald didn't even have time to hug Echo back before
she pulled away.
"It was nothing." Emerald murmured before turning and shaking Adrian's hand. "Have a good night. I'll be sure to call you if anything changes."
With that Adrian and Echo left, leaving Emerald with a big decision. She walked up to the door and peeked through the small window. Storm had fallen asleep, so she really didn't
need to go in there, but… but she really wanted to. She wanted to stay with him all night, to make sure that nothing happened and if something did happen she'd be the first to
know, not only that, but she'd be able to tell everyone she'd promised to tell if anything happened.
Decided, Emerald took a deep breath and quietly opened the door and slipped in, pulling up a chair to sit by Storm's bedside. He looked so peaceful in his sleep and his breathing
seemed to be much stronger now. The color had come back into his face, and he finally seemed at ease after such a long night.
A wistful smile on her face, and without really thinking about it, she
reached up and gently stroked his cheek with the back of her index finger. Storm stirred and his eyelids
fluttered. She started and quickly pulled her hand back, standing up, readying to leave. However, Storm grabbed her hand before she could. Chewing her lip, she slowly sat back
down. Storm's hand still held hers and he gazed at her with those piercing electric blue eyes of his, even when they were halfclosed.
"Thank you," he said quietly, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.
"It was nothing," she mumbled quickly pulling her hand out of his. This was bad. She should've just left. She couldn't let her hopes be lifted. Not now, of all times. They were both in
relationships. "You're… you're my friend. I wouldn't just leave you there to die."
Storm then reached up and caressed Emerald's face. She closed her eyes, taking in a sharp breath, her heart stopping for a moment, her stomach tightening at his touch. She
reached up with both of her hands putting one of her hands over his the other hovering over his wrist, soaking in this moment as much and as fast as she could before she softly
pulled his hand away from her face, but still keeping it in both of her hands, playing with his fingers, not meeting his eyes.
A moment passed and Storm pulled his hand out of her grasp, reached up again, but this time catching one of Emerald's tears that had formed unbeknownst to her and squeezed its
way out of her eye. Emerald kept her gaze down.
"Why are you crying?" he asked.
Emerald turned her head away then, taking control of her emotions. She squeezed her eyes shut tight pushing her tears back, turning her tear ducts off, pressing her lips together,
holding her breath as she did so. Once sure she got hold of her emotions, she turned back to face Storm with a small smile.
"You should sleep. You've been through a lot." Her voice came out in a whisper, as much as she didn't want it to.
"Emerald—" Storm tried but she stood and stepped away from the bed.
"I have to step out for a moment." she said a little louder, forcing herself not to make a mad dash to the door and instead walk slowly and at normal pace to the door. Once outside
she leaned heavily against the door, taking deep breaths that were on the verge of gasps. More tears started to form in her eyes, but she fought to hold them back by taking deeper
breaths, and reaching up to squeeze the bridge of her nose, her eyes shut tight.
Emerald wasn't sure how long she stood out there but when she felt she had control of her emotions she turned around to peek through the window to Storm's room, he was fast
asleep.
Letting out a breath, she quietly stepped in. She didn't know why, but something always made her go back in. Maybe she was a masochist and couldn't help herself, because just
being with Storm a little while longer was the only thing on her mind and not the repercussions that would come afterward when her fantasy was shattered when Valerie showed up.
Emerald took a seat next to his bed again but this time resisting the urge to reach out and stroke his cheek or take his hand because he seemed to be such a light sleeper. She
didn't want to wake him because he needed his rest and also because they might both get into more trouble than both of them really needed.
"What happened next?" Carter asked looking eager for the rest of the story and Emerald had to figure this was because she was hoping that Emerald and Storm would get back
together but Emerald knew better.
At around three, though, Emerald's sleep was disturbed. At first it was a slight annoyance, just some noise in the background, but then it was a yelp. Storm's yelp.
With a gasp, Emerald's head flew up, her head still in a slight haze. She blinked and tried to wake up, taking deep breaths and looking at Storm, trying to see what was wrong.
At first, because her brain still hadn't woken up, she didn't register what was happening. Storm's hands were gripping handfuls of his bed sheets, his knuckles white as can be.
Emerald could hear his heart pounding in his chest, his jaw was tight and his eyes were squeezed shut tight as well, but Emerald couldn't tell if he was awake or it was some dream.
She stood and leaned over him slightly, chewing her lip.
"Storm?" she asked quietly touching his arm hesitantly. As soon as her hand came in contact to his arm, Storm threw his arms up and over his face, Emerald jumping back at the
sudden movement.
"No," Storm moaned in his sleep. "I've done what you've asked." This startled Emerald and her heart seemed to be pumping just as fast as Storm's. "You promised." He spat
through gritted teeth, the muscles in his arms rippling like he was warding off some unseen attacker. "Just leave her alone!" His hands flew down again, with force and Emerald
veered away.
Her breath was coming out quick and sharp, and she stared at Storm, confused beyond belief. Her? Who was her? Who was he talking to?
"Emerald?" Storm asked, worry now coloring his voice, his chest heaving, panting like he'd just gotten done running a marathon.
Emerald froze then, unable to move. Is that the "her" he was talking about? If it was, who was after her, if that was the case?
"I'm sorry," he murmured, his voice calming down tremendously for a moment. "I'm so sorry." Now it sounded like he was sobbing, his tone regretful and hurt and guilty.
Sorry? Sorry for what? About what?
The pain, the selfloathing, the anguish in his voice snapped Emerald out of her haze and she took a wary step toward Storm's bed. "Storm?" she asked quietly again.
"No." Storm growled his hands balling into fists again, shifting violently in his hospital bed. (Emerald took a halfstep back.) The heart rate monitor going berserk, in perfect time
with Storm's heart, as it should be. "Emerald!" This time his voice was filled with pain and sounded almost desperate.
What was happening? What was he seeing?
"Leave us alone! Leave her alone!" Storm screamed. "Emerald! No!" At this point, Storm shot up, his eyes flying open. He looked around the room frantically breathing heavily. His
eyes were wide and stricken. When his eyes found Emerald, all his muscles seemed to relax, but his eyes were filled with the same anguish that shocked Emerald.
"Emerald," He choked out her name and his arms went up, reaching for her. Without thinking she stepped closer to him and they embraced. With Emerald pulling Storm into her,
letting him rest his head in the crook of her neck, one arm coming around his shoulder, her other hand resting on his head, absentmindedly running her fingers through his soft hair. With Storm's arms wrapped tightly around her waist.
"I'm here, Storm." she whispered. "I'm right here."
"I'm sorry," Storm whispered just as something wet hit Emerald's chest. She sucked in a sharp breath. He was crying. Why was he crying? Why was he apologizing? "I'm so sorry."
Emerald wanted to say something but she didn't know what to say and when she finally did find something, the door opened and a nurse stepped in.
"Miss, I'm going to need you to stand back for just a moment, please." she told Emerald.
Reluctantly, Storm let her go, but kept his hand tightly in hers. Emerald watched Storm intently, as the nurse went over to check the heart rate monitor.
"Looked pretty bad there, for a moment, you okay, Mister Kallahan?" she asked, noting when his heart had been racing not even a moment ago. Right now, it was going back to a
normal pace, every time it beat, Storm's energy hitting Emerald like a tidal wave: sweet, so sweet.
Storm nodded his face a mask of calm and collected, but the tight, bonecrushing, circulationcutting grip his hand had on Emerald's hand told her otherwise.
"I'm fine. Just a nightmare." he assured the nurse who peered him skeptically not missing the tear stains on his face.
"Are you in pain, because if you are you need to tell us so we can give you pain medicin
e. We always tell our patients that we don't want them to grin and bear it. We want you to
be as comfortable as possible." She informed him.
Storm nodded giving her one of his charming smiles. "I'm fine, really. I'm not in any pain."
The nurse stared at him for a moment longer before deciding that she wouldn't push him and checked his vitals before exiting without another word.
Storm looked up at Emerald as soon as the door closed. She was about to say something again but Storm suddenly pulled her toward him, caressing her face with his other free
hand and—
"What? What happened?!" Carter exclaimed, bouncing with suspense in her seat. Emerald stared at the small coffee table, eyebrows furrowed trying to think.
He had pulled her to the very edge of the bed… caressing her face with this free hand… pulling her down toward him and then—
"Emerald!" Carter groaned, dying from the suspense as Emerald tried to focus the memory of what happened, which was harder than the others for some reason that she just
couldn't understand…
He pulled her toward him and then…
And then their lips met.
Carter gasped and reeled back at this news, her eyes as wide as a does, a hand covering her open mouth. Emerald just sat there, feeling lightheaded, remembering the kiss. Her
eyes had turned dreamy and she unconsciously reached up and touched her lips with her fingertips.
It was like kissing Lucas, only not. Storm was human and the experience of kissing him was nearly the same as when she kissed Lucas however, it seemed intensified by a million
and six. Storm's blood practically sang to Emerald, as they continued to kiss; every time his heart beat—the monitor picking up yet again, though, not quite as quick—the blood
beneath his lips hitting Emerald's own.
The heat coming off of Storm soaked in through Emerald's thin tanktop, making her shudder. Making her want, need, crave more.
Storm had the same idea, pulling Emerald closer, putting a hand on her waist. One of Emerald's hands coming over Storm's that was at her waist, the other buried deep in his hair.
But there was a little voice in the back of her head chanting both Lucas's and Valerie's names constantly, not going away, telling, reminding Emerald how wrong this was.