chasing demons. ***completed***

#19 awakening

Dan fell asleep holding Emma's hand. he wasn't leaving her side. the nurses amd doctors tried coming in convincing him to lay down but he refused to leave her side. he wasn't letting her go. "nurse?" her father was sitting in a chair watching Dan with his daughter. she stopped at the door. " can we bring a bed in here for him? he needs rest and clearly he isn't leaving. he can just sleep in here with her." she nodded and walked out the door. moments later a bed was rolled in and the nurse was smiling softly.

"she is lucky to have you. not only did you save her life but you won't leave her side. come on let's help you get into bed. we will roll the bed closer once you are in it and set back up." she smiled at Dan.

he nodded and let her help him up. " I'm the lucky one. she saved me first." once he was finally situated in bed the nurse and Kevin helped slide his bed to her side. they all watched as he reached out and placed his hand on hers then closed his eyes. sleep. he needed sleep. when he woke up the sun was shining through a small window in her room. he had no clue how long he had fallen asleep for. he knew he needed it like he needed air. he looked over to see if she was still near him. there she was. bruised and beaten.

she was a fighter. he never realized how strong she was until she fought so hard to stay alive. sheer determination and the refusal to give up drove her to fight harder. he couldn't express how proud of her he was. he lay there listening to her monitors. he could feel a twinge of pain from his wound but it had gotten slightly better. it was nothing if she was now safe. he scanned her face once more. even through all the bruises she was beautiful. he felt his heart ache for her to wake up and be ok. he knew she had a lot of healing to do. the swelling had gone down some. the bruises would take much longer to heal. he reached out pushing some of her hair out of her face as he whispered to her. " you are the strongest person I have ever met Emma."

it felt like weeks had gone by. he was released from the hospital but still refused to leave her side. the machines still helping her breathe as they kept her in a comma to heal. the doctors did scans every few days to check the swelling on her brain. he was relieved every time they said it had gone down even more. the doctors explicitly reassuring it was a good thing. that even though it was taking a little longer than they hoped it was good that it was progressing in the right direction. so he waited. praying with everything he had that soon he would hear her voice again. the police already ruled Rory's death as a clean shooting. she would be safe from him and so would Xavier. Rory's parents came trying to get to Xavier. they hired a lawyer but the judge gave temporary custody to her father since it was her family who had been around him all his life. with Rory giving up his rights a long time ago and the fact that he kidnapped Xavier's mother no judge was willing to give them any kind of custody or visitation. Dan felt relief in that small piece of information.

the door to her room opened and closed and Xavier came running in and hopped into his lap. "hey there buddy! did your papa bring you?" Dan had gotten closer to Xavier through all of this. every time he came to visit they would spend time coloring or playing games spending time just hanging out.

"Uncle Matt brought me. he is talking with a nurse. my mom says uncle Matt is shameless." Dan let out a deep laugh. he knew Xavier took everything in.

"so what are we going to be coloring today?" they started grabbing out color crayons just as a doctor came in looking over a chart in his hand. Dan grabbed onto Xavier's shoulder. "hey Xavier, go get your uncle Matt for me ok buddy?" Dan felt it wasn't right to have him there in case it was bad news. he watched as Xavier skipped out of the room happy as can be oblivious to everything going on.

the doctor looked up at Dan and nodded as he waited for the door to close. "well I think everything is looking good. her swelling in the brain has gone down and everything is heeling nicely." the doctor continued to look over her chart as he spoke. "I think we can start slowly bringing her out of her coma now. the entire team thinks it is safe now."

"really? I need to call her family. they need to know the good news. I know they would want to be here with her." the doctor smiled and did a check on Emma before disappearing through the door. Matthew came walking in. he could see the excitement on Dan's face.

"I can tell by that look on your face we got some good news."

"yes!" Dan explained what was happening as he had the phone on speaker so her father could hear the news as well. "I thought maybe you guys would want to come and be here. she needs her family." it was like a wave crashing over his body. a flood of happiness and relief that came swooping over him. she would be waking up soon. he came over to her side and held her hand in his. " I can't wait to hear your voice. Emma, everyone misses you. I miss you." he leaned over kissing her fingers he held so gently.

it felt like forever before her family arrived. they all piled in the little room and waited with baited breath for any signs of her waking up. Dan was in a corner allowing her family to be there close to her. he didn't want to be so far away but he was just grateful they allowed him there in the same space where she was. her father looked back at him and smiled. "get yourself over here. you are family too now." Dan paused for a moment as his words sank in. he had no clue they looked at him as family. he had to admit the feelings coursing through him were overwhelming. he had never felt like he was part of a family before. even in his own he felt like an outsider. he guessed it was by his own doing. he kept everyone at a distance. it was how he made it through each deployment. he detached himself from those closest to him to survive and to keep them from seeing his dark secrets keeping him up at night. Emma changed him. she made him open up and he allowed people in. allowed her in. for the first time he felt loved. he felt like he had a family. he moved closer to her bedside as her oldest brother moved out of a chair for him as he reached out holding her hand. they all just waited silently as the nurses came in every hour and lessened the drugs she had been receiving. to Dan and everyone in the room it felt like an eternity to wait. Dan knew they were all praying. he knew because he was praying too. praying for Emma to wake up and be ok and to hear her speak to them. the silence was loud. the beeping the only noise they could hear. the rhythm resonating in the room.

they watched her so intently holding their breath as they waited. slowly they could see her eyes twitch slightly. then Dan felt her fingers move in his hand. he straightened up not sure if he was seeing it or if it was really happening. he looked around at everyone there. no one said a thing. maybe it was his imagination? he thought. maybe he was wanting her to be awake so badly that his mind was playing tricks on him. the monitors still beeped away their soothing rhythm not giving away any secrets. Dan slowly placed his head on the edge of the bed as he felt his heart breaking slightly. her fingers moved again in his ever so slightly. he sat up straight again looking around. everyone now looking at him in confusion. he just looked at Emma not letting his eyes move from her still body. he was almost positive he felt her. he was almost sure of it. he moved towards her ear bending down to whisper. " Emma it's time to wake up. it's time to come back to us." He was desperate to hear her voice and see her eyes.

when nothing happened he felt himself sigh in disappointment. maybe it would take longer. maybe she wasn't ready. "I'm here." he heard the softest whisper he had ever heard. like an angel rising after battle. her voice was soft and almost couldn't be heard but there it was. she was waking up. she was coming back to them. there was gasps in the room as everyone realized she had spoken. she was coming back to them. she had awaken.