Never Letting Go || CS

Chapter Eight: Recovery

With Emma's appearance, you would presume her dead from how pale her once fair skin was. Hook only knew she was still alive because of her rapid breathing and the beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

Hook immediately went to fetch the doctor, not knowing what to do himself. Once on the deck, he decided to stay up there to steer the ship out if the port safely. The funny thing was that Hook was actually worried about what might happen to her. He hated this because to him this was a sign of weakness. Actually caring about people in the past had caused him too much heartbreak, and he wasn't about to let it happen again. He was sick of the ones he cared about dying on him. The easiest way out of this was to just eliminate her from his thoughts. But this was easier said than done. No matter what he did to occupy himself, his thoughts always drifted to how Emma was doing. That was If she was even still alive.

A part of Hook screamed for him to go and check up on Emma, but that would be too suspicious among the crew. He wanted them to think that he only cared about himself. Plus, if he allowed himself to care about another woman, even as a friend, he would be betraying Milah. But he had a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach that he just couldn't get rid of.

A while later, the doctor approached Hook with news about Emma. "It seems that she will be OK. From what I can guess, she tried to move but instead lost her balance and landed on her damaged shoulder. Her body went into shock and that's what you saw, sir." He explained with a small, respectful bow. "In 2 hours she will need the medicine you retrieved."

"Thankyou. Anything else you need to tell me?" The doctor shook his head and scurried off below deck. 

When nobody was in earshot, Hook breathed a sigh of relief. He knew he shouldn't really care about what happens to her, but he did and he couldn't help it. He hated it, but he did care. Caring had become foreign to him, so when he did, it was a strange sensation. He didn't know whether he liked it or not, but either way, it was there and he knew it. 

Exactly 2 hours later, Hook left one of his crew in charge of steering the ship, whilst he went down to where Emma was. When he knocked on the door, there was no reply so he just went in and found her sleeping peacefully in the bed. Her features were relaxed and she looked at peace. Hook couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked when she slept. He gently shook her until her until her eyelashes fluttered open to reveal stunning jade green eyes. She looked around the room and her gaze locked on to Killian who was knelt down next to her. "Hook...What are you doing here?" She asked, her voice still full of sleep. "I came to give you your medicine, love. This will heal your injuries in no time. It's magic, see?" He held up the bottle of glowing pink liquid so Emma could see it. "And this will make me better?" She looked at the pirate skeptically. He simply nodded, took the top off of the phial and held it up to her lips.

Emma's expression turned to disgust as the pink liquid drained down her throat. Instantly, the dark bruises covering her shoulders faded and her skin turned back to its original state. Hook watched as they faded with wide eyes, half not expecting it to work. Emma lifted her arms up and moved them about, testing them. A genuine smile spread across Emma's face for the first time in a long time. Hook was taken aback by it. He had never seem her smile before, and it seemed to make everything brighter. He couldn't help but smile himself and his mood picked up. 

Without thinking, Emma launched herself at Hook, wrapping her arms around his neck. He was shocked by this and just froze with wide eyes. When she realised what she had done, her cheeks reddened and she released him from her hug. She looked around awkwardly, her cheeks bright red. "Uhh thanks for the medicine." A small smile lingered on Hook's lips as he replied                     "Its fine, love." He got to his feet and headed towards the door. "Try to get some rest." He said before shutting the door, leaving Emma alone once more.

Emma wondered why she had hugged him so suddenly. She barely knew him, but there she was, hugging him like she had known him for years. She had only realised what she had done when Hook didn't move. She couldn't help but think how natural it felt to be hugging him, like she had done it a thousand times before. She pondered on it until she eventually slipped into a nightmare-filled sleep.

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It was about 8 o'clock in the evening and the rest of the crew was downstairs, probably getting drunk. It was just Hook alone on the top deck, steering the ship in the moonlight that fell gently onto the calm waves. This put him in a placid mood, just seeing the moon light up the water was enough to calm him even in his most foul of moods. 

He suddenly heard ear-splitting shrieks apparently coming from below deck. He immediately left the wheel towards where Emma was. As he approached, the screaming grew louder. It suddenly turned to an aggressive choking sound and then loud coughing, and then screaming all over again. He reached Emma's door and knocked out of politeness, but entered without waiting for an answer. He saw Emma writhing around in her bed, still screaming and her eyes shut tight. She must be dreaming. Hook knelt beside her bed like earlier on in the day and tried to wake Emma. Whatever it was, it must have been terrifying for her. "Swan? Wake up, Swan, everything's alright." 

Her eyes shot open, terror evident in the deep shade of green. Her breathing was heavy and as she looked at Hook, the fear in her eyes increased as she backed away from him. "Get away from me!" She yelled. "Swan, I'm not going to hurt you, its alright. Trust me." The last two words were said with so much sincerity that Emma's eyes softened and her breathing evened out. "Hook! I-I'm sorry I didn't realise it was you." She looked ashamed as she sat up and looked at him. "it's ok, love. Would you like to tell me what you were screaming about?" She swallowed before looking him in the eyes. "It's not important, I'm sorry I was screaming. I didn't mean to."                            
"Well, if you want to talk about it, I wouldn't mind listening." Why was he being so nice to her? Hook surprised himself and his own kindness and understanding. "Wait, did you just call me Swan?" A smirk grew on his face as he replied "Aye. Get used to it, because I like that name for you." She laughed, her mood becoming lighter with each second around him.

"Well, I better leave you now." He got up to walk towards the door, but she grabbed his wrist and said "Please stay, I'm bored when I'm all alone down here." She fake pouted, and he soon gave in with a huff. If his crew ever saw how soft he was with her, there would be mutiny.

They talked and laughed together for hours, Hook not noticing the time passing so quickly. But when he saw her yawn, he knew it was time for him to leave. "You really need some rest, love. It must be really late." He stood up and bid her goodnight as he shut the door gently. What was she doing to him? How did she make him drop all of his walls so quickly? She managed to almost bring Killian back for a short while. He didn't know how this was possible. Nobody had ever managed that-well, nobody except Milah. A lump formed in his throat as he thought about his beloved. The thought of her just soured his mood as he returned to the wheel of the ship.