Hatchetfield Stories

You Promised

Something short because I was stressed and needed some distraction :)

TRIGGER WARNINGS:

-Hospitals

-Injury (mentioned)

-------

Paul's eyes shot open. A dull pain in his arm brought him to his senses. His first instinct was to fight against the restraints that held him in place.

A man in a lab coat approached him. "Paul Matthews?" he asked.

Paul nodded. "Where am I?"

"You're in the Clivesdale Hospital. You were involved with the Hatchetfield disaster, that nearly wiped out the entire civilization. We've managed to cure some of the infected, but a lot of them didn't make it. I'm doctor Fox, I'll make sure that you're human again before you can get back to society." The doctor grabbed a clipboard. "I'll run some tests, and after that I'm sure your girlfriend would love to see you."

Girlfriend? "I don't have a girlfriend..." Could he mean Emma? Did they find her? Is she okay? She didn't bleed to death? "Do you mean Emma? Is she alive?"

"Emma Perkins, yes. She made it. You almost killed her though. Well, not you, the alien that overtook your body. You don't remember any of that?"

"I remember destroying the meteor and the explosion. I was in a lot of pain, until it suddenly stopped. I don't remember anything after that."

*** *** ***

"Kelly?" colonel Schaffer asked when she came into the room. Emma rolled her eyes. "Kelly, don't roll your eyes like that every time, you'll get used to your name."

Emma shrugged, "Whatever. What's up?"

"I'd like to inform you that we've been able to cure Paul Matthews. He's conscious and you'll be able to see him later."

Emma's eyes widened. "What? You're kidding!"

"I'm not. Doctor Fox is making sure that it's safe for you to visit him."

Emma jumped out of the hospital bed, hissing in pain when she landed on her leg, but she ran to the colonel and hugged her tightly. "Thank you!"

*** *** ***

Doctor Fox came back into the room. "You're all good. Do you want me to get Emma?"

"Yes please." He left, and Paul sat up in bed. He rubbed his wrists, which were sore from the restraints, but he understood that they used them. They didn't know if it would be him who would wake up.

Footsteps approached the door and Paul's heartbeat in his chest. The door opened and there she was: Emma. Her leg was bandaged and she was limping heavily, but it was definitely her. She looked at the floor, biting her lip.

"I'll leave you two alone." the doctor said, before leaving the room and closing the door.

"Hi, Em."

Emma looked up, a single tear rolled down her face. "You promised," she said softly. "You promised you'd never be in a musical."

Paul sighed. "Emma... I know, I'm so sorry."

"You promised! And you still did! Do you even know how scared I was?!"

"I'm so sorry. I tried to save you."

Emma looked down again. "Yes, and you did, but you... you were singing. I was so scared I'd never see you again." She started sobbing and her leg almost gave out underneath her.

Paul opened his arms, she dropped herself next to him and cried into his chest. "I'm here now. We're safe."

Emma nodded and looked at him. "Paul, I love you. I spent two weeks believing you were dead and another week thinking about what would happen if the cure didn't work. I braced myself for the message that you were dead every time someone walked into my room." She burrowed her face in his chest again.

Paul rubbed his hand over the back of her head. "That must've been hard. But, Emma, I'm here now." He grabbed her shoulders and gently pushed her away so he could look at her. "When I was standing in front of the meteor, I was slowly getting infected. But I really wanted to save you, so I managed to keep control over my own body long enough to pull the pin. I'd never done that on my own. I'm not a brave person, just someone who wants to save the people he cares about. And you're one of those people I care about."

Emma nodded. "I care about you too."

"I can't remember anything since I got infected, so basically I've only met you two days ago. But, Emma Perkins, do you want to be my girlfriend?"

Emma's cheeks flushed red and an adorable smile appeared on her lips. "I thought you were dead for three weeks, and that was the one sentence I wanted you to say to me so bad, I thought we'd never get the chance. Yes, Paul, of course, I'll be your girlfriend!"