Ever After New York

Anna Katherine.

(Hero's POV)

When I open my eyes, the fresh smell of pine fills my senses.

I know exactly where I am.

The sun reflecting off of the crystal-clear water.

The wind singing as it wove through the leaves.

I look down, taking in my appearance. I was dressed in all black, tattoos covering my arms.

"Hero." I hear her call to me, her whisper kissing my ear.

My eyes search for her, my voice calling her name.

Then I see her, at the edge of the dock. Her body is adorned in white lace, flowing through the breeze. My legs carry me to her, reaching for her warmth.

She's facing the lake, watching the subtle waves as she likes to. When I finally reach her, I extend a hand out to her.

And when she turns, blood covers the front half of her body.

Her innocence destroyed, ruined by my touch.

The white covered with red.

Life stained with death.

"You did this to me." She whispers.

"I didn't mean to. I love you." I shook my head.

I knew what this was.

Her light and my darkness.

She was life and I was death.

"You killed me."

"No... I didn't."

"Hero..."

"Josephine!"

"Hero!"

***

I jerk awake, my head raising off of the cold, tile floor before a hand lands on my shoulder to brace me.

When my vision clears, I see Katherine knelt down in front of me. "Hey."

"Anything?" I ask.

"She's in there." She tells me, pointing to Josephine's hospital room.

I let out a sigh in relief. "Has she woken up yet?"

She shakes her head. "No, but they said you could go in."

I nod my head slowly, gripping Katherine's hand so she could help me up.

I didn't know how long I had been asleep for. Obviously for a while, if I missed them bringing Jo back into the room.

When they wheeled Josephine's body out to take her to surgery, I completely lost it.

I thought I had lost the only thing that mattered most to me in the world.

Dr. Monroe wouldn't let me into the surgical unit, so I had to wait here.

In agony.

I paced back in forth in the hallway, our friends and family watching me lose my mind. Their words of comfort did nothing to ease my mind.

When Dr. Monroe finally returned from the surgical unit, blood covering his hands and scrubs, I braced myself for the news that Josephine hadn't made it.

That I was going to have to live without her and raise this child by myself.

But by some miracle, she was alive.