Heartstrings

Chapter 2: Silently Screaming

"Peter, lets get the sheriff to the hospital too. That cut looks deep and we better move fast before she wakes up." One of the paramedic said to the other.

It was about half past 10 at night when consciousness came back to Emma and the first thing she noticed was she's at the hospital. "Why the hell am I here?"

"Mom! You're awake!" shouted Henry from the sofa beside her bed as he ran towards her and hug his blonde mother.

"Hey kid. Why are you here? Why am I here? What time is it?" Asked Emma in a breath.

"You didn't remember? You and mom, Regina, got stuck in a fire at the town hall. Thank god you're okay. Oh! And it's 10.35pm."

"Oh god! Regina!" Emma shouted while trying to get off the bed. "Where is she? Is she okay?"

"Sheriff. I need you to calm down." Came a voice from the doorway. Doctor Whale walked in with Mary Margaret by his side. "May I?" the doctor asked her, gesturing to the flashlight pen, silently indicating that he wanted to have a look at Emma's update after what had transpired earlier that evening.

"Okay. Other than the cut on your left thigh, you look absolutely great. You are free to go if you want and I'll write you off from work for 2days so you can rest up, alright?"

"Yes, thank you. By the way, how Regina?" Emma asked the doctor while trying to get off the bed.

"I.. Well.. I'm sorry, I can't tell you. Doctor-patient confidentiality." Answered Doctor Whale.

"I'm the Sheriff and the Mayor was involved in a fire with me which I will need to write an official report on, so I suggest you tell me her condition and where I can find her doctor." The blonde told the doctor with the hardest glare she could muster.

The doctor was taken aback by her and after the shock left him, he indicates with his eyes towards Henry and Mary Margaret.

Catching on, Emma turned towards the other two occupants in her room, "Henry. MM, would you guys please tell the nurse to get my discharge letter ready please?"

She received two silent nods and the moment the door was shut, Doctor Whale spoke up.

"The Mayor's asthma attack was very severe due to the amount of smoke she inhaled which, lucky for her, she managed to arrived at the hospital minutes after she passed out. She was connected with a breathing tube down her throat into her upper airway. We used a machine that pumps oxygen into her lungs that helped her breathe while we gives her medications to get her asthma under control, but I just removed it so she's just using the oxygen gas now. For her leg, I was informed you lifted a metal penal from her left leg, so I assumed you saw the open wound? Well, it was deeper than just that. The mayor broke her first metatarsal bone. But all in all, we fixed everything the best we can and would keep a close monitor on her."

Emma was silent for a few moments, soaking in the information delivered to her.

"Well, where can I find her? Is she awake?"

"She's in room 303 and yes, she just woken up before I came here. But she's on strong meds, so I would assume she's not quite her usual self yet."

"Thank you Whale. Seriously, I really appreciated what you did today." And just as she said it, Henry and MM walked back in the room with the discharge form for her to sign.

"It's no problem Sheriff. Just doing my job." He gave her a curt nod before walking out her room.

MM was the first person to break the silence, "Emma, how are you feeling?"