Fence

Too Late

"Time of death. Five thirty four pm"

Silence filled the OR as the doctors stared at the dead boy in front of them.

"How old was he?", a nurse asked and they all turned to her.

"Eighteen", a doctor said as he kept staring at the boy and they all shared looks.

They head doctor of the surgery walked out of the OR and down the hallway towards the family of the boy, who he knew was going to destroy. As he walked inside he saw the parents sitting and holding their two other boys.

"Family of Emmett Swan?", he called them out and the family turned to him, the mother immediately standing, her second oldest right behind her. Her husband was not far behind as he held his youngest, only a few months old.

"Doctor. How did it go?", the mother asked and the doctor felt his heart break as he could see the hope in the mother's eyes.

"I'm sorry mrs. Swan. We did everything we could"

The mother started to cry and turned to her husband hugging him tight without crushing her son. The father stood with his own tears as he kissed his wife's head, anger, sadness and regret filling his heart.

"No. No it cant' be true!", the second oldest kept saying to the doctor but the man nodded.

"I'm sorry son, there was nothing we could do. He was far too gone before he even got here"

"No! No!", the boy kept repeating and the father gave his son over to his wife before walking over to his second oldest and holding him, but the boy fought his father's arms.

"No! There must be something you can do", the boy kept shouting and his father held him tighter.

"I'm so sorry", the doctor said and walked back down the hallway, a tear falling down his cheek as the cries filled the entire hospital.

"Would someone please tell me what's going on?!", Emma asked angrily and Emmett and Regina shared a look nodding.

"Let's go sit", Emmett said and the two siblings did as they were told, sitting down by the table. Emmett looked at his wife before walking over to the table, sitting down as well.

"First I need to ask you. What has happened in your life recently?", he asked the both of them and the siblings shared a look before turning back to the man, Emma's eyes meeting Regina's.

"I'm going to the nationals in fencing for our school this weekend", she started out and Emmett nodded.

"Then you have already told them", he said and Emma knew what he was talking about.

"Yes"

Emmett nodded and turned to Regina who sat and fed Henry. He still needed food after all. "You will forget this once you're back to your own time, so I might as well tell you"

Younger Emmett turned to his sister who just stared at Regina and Henry. "About a year, a year and a half from now in your time... Emmett will... get in a car crash. The doctors will not be able to save you"

"What?", the two siblings said in unison and Emmett nodded in confirmation.

"By the time that happened, I... we would already have changed our gender", he continued and the two siblings furrowed their eyebrows for a few moments before Emma realized.

"Wait... you're not Emmett. You're me"

Emmett nodded in confirmation and Emma sighed deep turning to Regina who smiled softly back at her.