Illusions

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Has she been asleep this whole time?" Emma whispers as she enters the dark room, tiptoeing toward Thirteen's bed.

"She was agitated when you left-"

"I am so so-"

"No, no," Mr. Hadley quickly shakes his head, "not because of you, her body is shutting down now. Dr. Foreman came in and gave her something to knock her out." His dark eyes sweep back to his helpless daughter lying lifeless on the bed and he presses his fist against his mouth to fight back his tears. "She doesn't have much time left, he said she might hang on until tomorrow, but that's just because Remy has always been stubborn," he says through a wet chuckle, his free hand cutting through the space between him and his baby girl to hold her hand.

"I'm sorry," Emma says, her eyes filling with tears all over again as she slumps into another chair directly across from him. "Is there anyone I can call for you?"

"No," he sighs, "Remy's brother passed away a few years ago."

"Oh god, I'm so sorry, I didn't know."

"Her brother suffered from the same damn disease," he confesses, completely breaking down. She watches as his dam bursts and the tears flow like a steady stream down his face. "He was starting to dwindle and he begged Remy for help. She went to jail for a year, luckily, they couldn't prove that she supplied the drugs for him to kill himself. She claimed he stole them from her, but I know. I know she wanted to end her brother's misery," he cries and all Emma can do is stare in horror with her mouth hanging agape. "I lost my whole family from this disgusting disease," he sobs, bowing his head to rest against his daughter's hip as he finally allows his troubles to come pouring out.

"Mr. Hadley-"

"Mike."

"Mike, I'm so incredibly sorry, I know what it's like to lose your whole family. My parents died in a car accident when I was five and I grew up in the system," she reveals, hoping that her rambling will help in some peculiar way.

He doesn't say a word, instead he reaches across Remy's body and holds out his hand. Emma hesitates for a moment, but she knows he could use someone to lean on, some kind of comfort, so she tentatively places her hand inside his and allows his strong grip to hold her and ease his troubles. They sit there, in the dark despite the early afternoon, listening to the beeping machines while drowning in their own horrific thoughts.

Emma isn't quite sure how much time passes before there's a timid knock on the door, forcing she and Mike to leap back and wipe away the stale tears sticking to their cheeks. She expects a nurse or a doctor to come in and check on Thirteen, but she most certainly isn't expecting a nervous brunette peeking her head through.

"Regina," she gasps, leaping from her chair. "Wha-what are you doing here?" She softly questions, dashing toward the door where the mayor is slipping through.

"I-" her dark eyes wander to Remy and her father before she swallows thickly and holds up a takeout bag. "I thought maybe you two would be hungry," she offers with a shy smile that instantly confuses Emma's brain.

"You-what?"

"Sub sandwiches?" She meekly suggests. "Mr. Hadley, would you like a sandwich? I'm sure you have yet to eat today," she politely says, pulling out a tightly wrapped foot-long and extending it to the man.

"Yes, thank you." He quickly accepts the sandwich and hastily unwraps it without another thought which has Emma's mind spinning in a million different thoughts.

"Regina, can I speak with you outside?"

"Of course." Regina sets down the bag on a table in the back of the room and turns to Mr. Hadley again. "There are some chips in the bag if you'd like and some napkins as well."