Treading Water

29 - Dormant Seas

Arden's POV

"What the fuck is taking so long? It's been bloody hours since we were called, someone in this god damn hospital must be able to give us a fucking update." I pace up and down the hallway for the one thousandth time since arriving at the hospital.  Mum's a mess, as you could expect when you receive a call this late at night telling us there has been complications with Papa's recovery.

Complications.  What the fuck is that supposed to mean, that could quite literally be anything.  mean anything.  It's now 2 am and we've all been told to go home for now, Mum being the only permitted person to remain, but like fuck I will leave.  Not until someone tells me something useful.  Taking in my surroundings, I see Ashling curled up asleep on one of the sofas against the wall, its small and looks dam uncomfortable but shes made it work.  Next to her, Tomas is in a upright chair, his arm propping up his head to keep from drifting asleep.  Jill is tucked under his arm, sleeping soundly, her makeup showing signs of her earlier shed tears.  Malachi stands further down the foyer, leaned up against the wall just scrolling his phone.  If I know him like I think I do, he'll be making sure he's awake as long as I am.  He really takes the role of best friend further than most, for which I am thankful.

Emerson? Where is my sweet cailin alainn?  I could have sworn she was sitting here only minutes ago.  She wouldn't leave me now, not here like this.  No, she cares about Papa too, I saw the look in her eye when we received the call.  Pulling out my cell, then remember I haven't saved her new number yet.  We replaced her phone yesterday, so the other one can be assessed and since we have been together non stop I hadn't even thought about it yet.

"Arden" Her sweet voice couldn't have come at a better time, I was starting to panic.  Turning, I find her standing behind me with two trays of hot coffee's.  This woman is quite literally perfect in every way. "I grabbed some drinks for everyone, I figured with the whiskey and the long wait we've had some caffeine might help."

"Emerson, love, thank you.  Here let me carry those for you," I take a tray, wrapping an arm around her and guide her to where the others sat.  Tomas' eyes light up, seeing the array of goodness approaching him.

"Emerson, if my wife wasn't here I could kiss you!" he joked, though stopped laughing pretty soon after he saw my face.  God he can be such a tool sometimes.

"Be my guest, will save me having too," Jillian mumbled, sitting up to receive her coffee, "besides, I may just kiss her myself"

Emerson let out the sweetest of laughs as she made sure Kai and Ash had a drink too, before snuggling back into my chest.

"You doing okay?" she asked, looking up me from under those beautifully long eyelashes.  I take a deep breath, then let it all out in a very long sigh.

"No.  No, not really, love." I let out a deep sigh, just shaking my head as I look back at her.  Taking my coffee, placing both our drinks on a nearby table, she returns to me and wraps me in her arms,  Holding me, giving me the strength to continue through the night.  There's not much that scares me, but this, this makes me terrified.  I can't imagine, no I won't imagine what could happen.  

Emerson's POV 

It pains me to see my strong man looking so broken, so deflated.  I hug him, holding him close and I want nothing more than to tell him that it's all going to be okay, but I can't.  I can't give him false hope.  Don't get me wrong, I want Conor to pull through whatever this complication is, I've grown so close to him in such a short time, but I know things don't always work out.  Sometimes, things take the turn you can never prepare yourself for.  If that happens, I will be here the entire time.  I will do whatever it takes to help him get through this.