The Sea's Daughter

Chapter 13: Pain

(Scott's POV)

Scott sighed loudly as he threw himself onto the couch. It had been a long week, filled with hard rescues and odd hours. His chest was healed enough to head out on rescues, but his ribs were still a little sore from Percy's kick to them. 

"Scott, is that you?" Emma asked softly.

Scott raised his head. Emma had rolled herself into the family room with a cup of coffee on a tray on her lap. It was still hard to see her in the wheelchair, knowing full well it was his fault that she probably never walk again. 

"Yeah," Scott said, sitting up. Emma rolled closer to couch area and locked her chair's wheels.

"I made this for you," she said, handing him the cup.

"Thanks."

Scott to took a swig of the black liquid, sighing happily at the familiar taste. He took his coffee jet black, something that had caused his brothers to whine about. Too many times of grapping the wrong coffee cup in the mornings. He bit back a chuckle at the memories.

"Is it okay?"

Why was she being so quiet? Emma had barely said anything above a whisper since Virgil had said she could leave the med bay. Was she upset with him?

"It perfect."

(Emma's POV)

Emma relaxed a little in her seat. Time to head back to the kitchen. She reached to unlock the brakes, but Scott stopped her.

"Emma, what's wrong?" he asked. The tone of his voice made her want to look into his blue-grey eyes, but she couldn't bring herself to. 

Ever since that day in the med bay when Emma had seen the pain that she had caused to Scott, she felt guilty.

Seeing him with his ribs bandaged, face swelling, and hand wrapped in gaze had hurt Emma worse then any wound could have. Even losing the ability to walk meant nothing to her after seeing what Scott had been through at her brother's hands. 

"Nothing, Scott," she lied easily.

"Emma, you do remember I have four brothers. I know when something is wrong," Scott said, coming to kneel down never to her chair.

"Scott, trust me its nothing," Emma said still looking down at her feet. 

"Bullsh*t," Scott said, causing her to jump.

Emma couldn't help but stare at Scott. He had never sworn before, at least around her. 

"I can tell when something's wrong."

"No, nothing-"

"You must hate me."

Emma felt her jaw twitch. How could he think something like that? She didn't hate him.

"It was my fault. If I hadn't said anything, you wouldn't have had to come to save us. You wouldn't have used your powers and you would be still be able to walk," Scott said, burying his face into his hands.

He blamed himself for what happened to her? Why? It was her choice to use her powers. It was her choice to fight the furies. It was her fault that she couldn't walk any more.

"No, its not!" Emma shouted. She hated that Scott thought it was his fault. She hated that he was upset. She hated the fact that she was so weak, that she had let poison slow her down like this.

"Yes it is. Its all my fault."

"No! It was my choice. I choose to act. I choose to use my powers, knowing full well that I could be hurt if I used them."

"But I-"

"No, you didn't. Alecto had you and your brothers hostage. If I hadn't come, she would have killed them one by one. She would have made you and me watch as they died slowly in front of you. Then she would've killed you as I watched."

"You should've just let me die then!"

"No, I couldn't!"

"Yes you could have!"

"No, Scott, I couldn't have. If I did, I would've never forgiven myself."

"Why?"

"Because of my fatal flaw."

"Your what?"

"My fatal flaw. All demigods have them and they're different for everyone."

"Then what's-" 

"Loyalty."

"That's not a bad thing."

"Normally, yes. But me and Percy's loyalty is so over the top, we would sooner let the world be destroyed then see someone we care about die."

"But then-"

"I would've let myself die before I'd let you or your brothers get hurt."

"So you don't blame me?"

"Like I said, I choose to use my powers and now I have to deal with the consequences. I don't regret my choice. Nothing could change that," Emma said.

"I bet you wish you could change the fact you met me," Scott said looking down.

"No," Emma said, smiling.

"Why?" Scott asked.

"Cause I get to do this," Emma said, kissing Scott gently.