Chapter 113

Greg blinked his weak eyes opened.

He wasn't surprised to find himself in the hospital, but only counted himself lucky to be alive.

Emily was seated by his side when he woke up.

Her head was bend on his bed while she slept.

He released a smile and touched her on the head.

She groans softly as she felt his touch.

Opening her eyes, she called to him "Father".

"Emily," he called her and took hold of her hands.

"You are awake" she muttered with amusement and hugged him.

He wrapped his hands around her and muttered a thank you to her ears.

She was glad that he was alive.

Although, she was curious to know how he got to the woods. But she chose to skip the question in other not to rush him into talking.

Greg sat up on the bed and asked for water to drink as his throat seemed to burn him.

There was a bottle of water seated on a table just beside them. She grabbed it and handed it over to her father.

He gulped the content of the bottle and heaved a sigh.

"You must be hungry, should I get you something to eat?" she asked.

"No dear, I'm fine" he replied with a smile.

"Tell me dear, how did you find me?" Greg was curious to find out.

She reached out and gently took the empty bottle from her father's hand, her fingers wrapping around it as she smiled weakly. The bottle was still warm from his grasp, and Emily felt a sense of comfort in the simple, mundane task of collecting it.

"I had a teacker on you" she confessed almost with a snapping voice.

"I have something to tell you dad" she said softly.

Emily let out a deep sigh of relief, her shoulders sagging slightly as she exhaled. She had been holding her breath, waiting for her father's reaction to the news she had just shared. But as she looked into his calm and understanding eyes, she felt a wave of tension release from her body.

"You don't look happy about what you are about to say dear?" Greg stated while he observed her mood.

"I've gathered a team of hunters, we have to save Lucian".

Greg's eyes widened in surprise as he stared at Emily, his mouth hanging open in a silent gasp. He had been expecting a very different response from her, and her words had caught him completely off guard.

For a moment, Greg just stood there, frozen in shock, his mind struggling to process what Emily had just said. He felt like he had been punched in the gut, his breath knocked out of him by her unexpected revelation.

As he stood there, his face must have reflected his shock, because Emily's expression faltered, and she looked at him with a mixture of concern and uncertainty. Greg's eyes darted back and forth, as if searching for some hidden meaning or explanation, but Emily's words had been clear and unmistakable.

Finally, Greg's shock began to wear off, replaced by a growing sense of curiosity and wonder. He took a step closer to Emily, his eyes locked on hers, and asked, "What do you mean?" his voice barely above a whisper.

Greg's face creased with concern as he gazed at his daughter, his eyes filled with a deep-seated worry. He had always been protective of Emily, and the thought of her making a decision that could potentially harm her or affect her future was unbearable to him.

As he listened to Emily's words, Greg's mind began to racing with worst-case scenarios, his imagination running wild with all the things that could go wrong. He felt a knot forming in his stomach, a sense of unease that he couldn't shake.

Greg's brow furrowed, his eyes narrowing as he tried to understand the reasoning behind Emily's decision. He wanted to know what was driving her, what was making her choose this path. He needed to know that she had thought this through, that she was making an informed decision and not just acting on impulse.

As he stood there, Greg's concern for his daughter's well-being was palpable. He wanted to reach out to her, to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. But he knew that he had to tread carefully, that he had to respect her autonomy and her decision-making process.

"I must say that's a dangerous thing to do. Besides, I think Lucian doesn't need savings. You know better than I do" Greg spoke at last. He still had a worrisome gaze at her.

"Father, I gave Julie my word, I promised to come back for at least" she spoke with boldness.

He exhaled and relaxed his back on the bed.

He knew vividly that he couldn't convince her as she was the stubborn one.

All he could do was hope that she knew what she was doing, and that she wouldn't end up regretting her choice.

He smiled at her and grabbed her hands. "I'll help you" he stated to lit her hopes up.

"No dad, you shouldn't!" she responded with a retort while she released her hands from his.

"You are still yet to recover dad" she beckoned to him.

"I'm not as weak as you think child".

"Come on dad, you know that's not what I meant" she stated and giggled.

Greg's face softened as he gazed at his daughter, his eyes filled with a warm and contented smile. He felt a sense of pride and satisfaction wash over him as he looked at Emily, his heart swelling with love and admiration for the strong and capable young woman she had become.

As he took in the sight of his daughter, Greg's eyes crinkled at the corners, and his eyebrows relaxed, giving his face a relaxed and peaceful appearance. He felt a deep sense of gratitude and joy, knowing that Emily was happy and fulfilled, and that she was making choices that were right for her.

Greg's gaze lingered on Emily's face, taking in the sparkle in her eyes and the gentle curve of her smile. He felt a sense of wonder and awe at the person she had become, and he knew that he had been blessed to be her father.

As he sat there, basking in the warmth of the moment, Greg felt a sense of contentment wash over him. He knew that everything was going to be okay, that Emily was going to be just fine, and that he had done his job as a father. He felt a sense of peace and satisfaction, knowing that he had raised a strong and capable daughter, and that she was ready to take on the world.

He stretched his hands and his daughter sank into his arms.

Their hug was along one, each of them not willing to let go of themselves.

Two hunters walked into the room and spotted the father and daughter holding unto her.

They smiled as they saw the two lost into one another.

"I'm sorry to break the reunion. It's good to have you back to yourself sir. But I must say, it's getting late and we have to carry on with our plan" a hunter man spoke.

Emily turned and looked into her father's eyes.

He nodded at her, giving her his permission to go.

As he sat there, basking in the warmth of the moment, Greg felt a sense of contentment wash over him. He knew that everything was going to be okay, that Emily was going to be just fine, and that he had done his job as a father. He felt a sense of peace and satisfaction, knowing that he had raised a strong and capable daughter, and that she was ready to take on the world.

***

"So what's the plan leader?" Rebecca asked Emily as soon as they got out.

"Well, I haven't really thought about that yet" Emily responded.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll figure out something" Another encouraged her while putting her hand on her shoulder.

Emily smiled , knowing well she had found the help she had been looking for.

Now, she knows, saving Lucian is possible.

Emily's eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief as she turned to the hunters, a sly smile spreading across her face. "I know a perfect place where we can draft out a plan," she said, her voice low and conspiratorial.

The hunters looked at her with interest, their faces lighting up with anticipation. "Where is it?" one of them asked, his voice eager.

Emily's smile grew wider as she nodded towards the hunters with comtent. "Follow me," she said, already starting to move in the direction she had indicated.

The hunters fell into step behind her. Emily led them out of the hospital.

***

Finally, they emerged into a small clearing, a babbling brook running through the center. Emily gestured to a large stone sitting at the edge of the clearing. "We can use this as a makeshift table," she said. "It's the perfect place to lay out a plan."

The hunters nodded in agreement, already starting to gather around the stone. Emily smiled to herself, feeling a sense of satisfaction at having found the perfect

spot. She knew that this was where they would come up with a plan to outsmart their enemies and emerge victorious.