troubled teachers

Chapter 19

Emma had received the call soon after nine at night on Boxing Day. Mercifully she managed to catch the last train of the day from Plymouth up to London where she had taken a taxi down to Kent. She couldn't bear to wait in the capital city, where she had arrived at four in the morning, until the trains began to run again and had paid the cab driver over one hundred pounds to get her to the hospital just as dawn was breaking.

She rushed through the automatic doors into the bright, sterile hospital reception and spotted Keith Nottingham immediately who had been waiting for her to arrive.

"How is she?" Emma asked at once, her face pale and strained. She hadn't slept properly since Christmas Eve, three days before.

"She's been through hell but she's sleeping right now," Keith informed her. "Come on, I'll take you to her."

The room was dark, the curtains drawn and the lights off. The steady beeps of various machines echoed around the small space. Emma glanced at Keith who nodded encouragingly and the blonde slowly made her way towards the bed. Regina was curled up on her side under a soft blanket, her hair limp and grimy against the stark white pillow. Emma sank wordlessly into the chair beside the bed and reached for one of Regina's hands. The right was heavily bandaged with a heart rate monitor attached so she curled her fingers around the left which was tucked close to her body.

Emma let out a shudder of relief as she gazed at the sleeping face of her … girlfriend? At that moment, Emma didn't care what their relationship status was. All that mattered was that Regina was alive. There was another bandage on her head, presumably covering the injury Keith had mentioned to her, and her lip was swollen again. Emma carefully took in the extent of Regina's visible injuries. Rage boiled inside her as she sat there. How could Robin have done this to her? To Regina, the kindest, sweetest, most generous person Emma had ever met. She turned towards the doorway where Keith was still standing and he understood the expression on her face perfectly.

"He'll get what's coming to him," the detective assured Emma. "As soon as he's out of surgery and well enough, he'll be standing trial for what he did. That man won't breathe fresh air for a long time."

~

Emma had fallen asleep, her head resting on the edge of Regina's bed. It wasn't exactly comfortable but her exhaustion had finally caught up with her. Gentle fingertips grazing across her cheek woke her slowly.

"You came," said a raspy voice.

"Regina!" Emma sat bolt upright at once, her eyes shining with tears as she looked into the familiar brown orbs of the woman before her. "I'm so glad you're alright. I mean, not alright but …"

"I am alright," Regina said with a weak smile. "At least, I will be."

"I was so worried," Emma said, her voice cracking with emotion.

"You saved me," Regina said. "Keith told me how you phoned him when you hadn't heard from me. If he hadn't arrived when he did -,"

Regina broke off, not wanting to verbalise the act Keith had prevented by mere seconds.

"How are you feeling?" Emma asked, wanting to change the subject slightly.

"They've given me something for the headache," Regina said. "And my lip looks worse than it is. They were worried about internal bleeding when I first came in but I've just broken a couple of ribs and they'll heal with time."