Finn

by Holly C. Webb

  “Thank you, Dean Webber,” Emmy croaked, as Finn’s heart almost broke when he heard the hurt in her voice.

  She turned, without even looking at Finn she walked out of the office leaving them alone.

  Emmy

  “What happened? Gabby asked as Emmy stepped out through the door, followed closely by Landen.

  “Nothing that matters,” Emmy replied as a tiny sobbed escaped from deep inside her. She gave her friend a pleading look. “I just want to go home. Please take me home.”

  “Emmy, wait,” Landen said, giving her a pleading look. “I know that what Finn said was hard to hear, but I’m asking you to give him a chance to explain.”

  “There is nothing to explain,” Emmy replied without looking up at Landen. “He did what he had to do. I know how important his job is to him, and I understand exactly how it is now.”

  “Emmy!” Landen exclaimed as he reached for her arm, but she pulled it away.

  “DON’T!” Emmy snapped back angrily. “Just don’t.”

  Emmy turned and walked out of the office and started off down the hallway towards the door. Each step she took her heartbreaking that little bit more.

  Part of her knew that Finn was probably only saying what he thought the Dean wanted to hear, but still, hearing him denying that he had any feeling for her, hurt more than she imagined it ever would.

  She had gone to the Dean and done what she thought was the right thing. She had been willing to give up everything for him, but then he turned up and not only called her a liar; he denied his feelings for her, she knew at that moment that she would never be anything more than his dirty little secret.

  As she walked, she could feel her chest tightening, as it was becoming increasingly harder to breathe, but she refused to allow herself to fall apart now. No. She had given enough of herself to Finn and to this college, she refused to let them have the last little bit of her that was left.

  As she hurried down the front steps of the facility building, she could hear Finn calling out her name from just inside the building, but she didn’t stop or even slow down. There was nothing he had to say that she wanted to hear.

  “EMMY!” He called out once more as he closed the distance between them. “Please stop.”

  “I have nothing to say to you,” Emmy retorted over her shoulder. “Just leave me the hell alone, Professor.”

  “If you’d just let me explain,” Finn said as he finally caught up with her, grabbing hold of her arm.

  “There is nothing you have to say that I want to hear. Believe me!” Emmy exclaimed as she spun around to face Finn. “I think I have heard more than enough already.”

  “What did you want me to do?” Finn asked giving her a frustration look. “Should I have just stood there and let you throw your life away for me?”

  “I didn’t throw my life away, Professor Murphy,” Emmy retorted as she stepped back towards him, and pushed him with her one good arm. “I put the one person I loved before me because I was stupid enough to believe that he felt the same…”

  “Of course I feel the same,” Finn insisted as he reached for her hand. “If you would just let me explain.”

  “NO!” Emmy screamed angrily as the tears spilled down her face, as she pulled her hand free from his, shoving him away once more. “I don’t want to hear it! Just stay the hell away from me, Professor Murphy. You and I are done.”

  She turned back towards Gabby’s car, feeling completely heartbroken and hadn’t taken more than three steps when a blinding pain shot through her head, it felt like the world was suddenly spinning.

  She crashed to the ground, unable to take another step.

  “EMMY!” Finn cried out, as he closed the distance to her in seconds. He scooped her up into his arms and held her to him tightly. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  Emmy wanted to tell him that her head hurt, but she couldn’t seem to form the words. Instead, she wanted to just go to sleep.

  “Open your eyes and look at me, Emmy!” Finn shouted at her, but it was no use. She could feel herself sinking into darkness, and she couldn’t fight it.

  “Landen!” Finn cried out, as the sound of fear in his voice was clear. “Call 911, tell them to get here as fast as they can.”

  Finn’s was the last thing Emmy heard before the darkness calmed her completely.

  Chapter 27

  “She’s okay,” Dylan came out into the waiting room of the hospital to where Finn was waiting with Landen and Gabby. “There was another slight bleed on her brain, but we managed to settle it down with medication. We didn’t need to take her to surgery.”

  “But she’s going to be okay?” Finn asked, just needing his brother to say the words one more time.

  “She is going to be just fine,” Dylan replied with a smile. “You can see her if you want.”

  “Do you think that’s a good idea?” Finn asked, unsure if Emmy would even want to see him. He looked from Dylan to his brother Landen.

  “I know she was mad at you,” Landen said as he gave Finn a knowing look. “But it’s Emmy, she loves you. Of course, she is going to want to see you.”

  “Okay,” he nodded, as he reluctantly stood up. He wanted so much to rush through the doors, to be with Emmy, but Finn was scared. For the first time in his life, Finn felt like his entire world was hanging by a thread. He was always sure of himself, and where he was going. He had never felt like his future depended on any other person.

  That was until he met Emmy. Now he couldn’t imagine a future without her in it. He just needed to prove it to her.

  Dylan led Finn through a set of double doors, and down a long corridor to the treatment room Emmy was in.

  “We will be moving her back up to her room in a little while,” Dylan explained as they reached the door. “Technically she wasn’t discharged from the hospital earlier, so her room is still there for her.”

  Finn nodded, but then hesitated before he walked into the room.

  “Are you okay?” Dylan asked, as he turned to looked at his older brother.

  “What if she meant what she said?” Finn asked, giving his brother a worried look. “That she and I were done. What if I’m the last person she wants to see?”

  “And what if you’re not?” Dylan asked with a smile before he turned and opened the door. “She might be a little sleepy, but you can talk to her.”

  Finn nodded, but then took a deep breath before slowly walking into Emmy’s room.

  Even though she was asleep, Finn thought she looked so sad, and it almost shattered his heart.

  “I will leave you alone,” Dylan whispered giving Finn a smile before he turned and headed back out through the door, closing it behind him.

  He stood there for a moment watching her sleeping. He knew the longer he left it, the longer he would have with her before she woke up and kicked him out.

  Finally, he took a step closer to the bed, then another until he knew he couldn’t put it off any longer. He slipped into the seat next to the bed, slipping his hand into Emmy’s.

  “Emmy,” he whispered softly as he leaned in closer to her. “I’m here.”

  Emmy moved slowly, then blinked opened her eyes, looking up at Finn. The moment her eyes met his, her bottom lips quivered as tears pooled in her eyes.

  “Please don’t cry,” Finn begged her softly as he reached out, wiping away the tears that were trickling down her face. “I’m so sorry that I hurt you. You need to believe, that was the last thing I ever wanted to do.”

  “Then why did you say those things about me?” She whispered as she stared up into his eyes. But instead of the anger that Finn had seen earlier, all he saw now was sadness. Sadness that he had caused, and he hated himself for it.

  “I said those things because I love you,” Finn explained, as he tried desperately to find the right words to say to her. “I know that’s not how you see it, but if you ever loved me, even a little bit; I need you to look into your heart and see that what I am saying is true.”
>
  “But I don’t understand,” she sobbed softly. “Why does it matter if the Dean knew the truth? I was willing to give up everything for you, but…but you said that I was just some random girl.”

  “I know,” Finn said, wishing he could take back everything he said, even if none of it were true. “But I needed him to think that there was nothing between you and me. I needed him to give you a chance to stay in the school.”

  “But what if I don’t want to?” Emmy whispered as the tears continued to flow. “What if being with you meant more to me than staying in Stanford. Finn, I love you. I really do, but I don’t want to be a dirty little secret. I want more.”

  “What if I said you could have more?” Finn replied, and he could see the confusion in Emmy’s face. “What if I said that we could be a couple, a real proper couple who didn’t have to hide from anyone?”

  “I would ask you which one of us has the bleeding brain,” Emmy replied with a slight smile. Finn smiled too.

  “The thing is,” Finn said, feeling a little more hopeful than he had at the start of the conversation. “I have this friend, an old professor of mine. He has offered me a job at Berkeley, I would start there after the Christmas break.”

  You’re…you’re leaving Stanford?” Emmy asked as the smile in her face faded once more. “You love Stanford.”

  “But I love you more,” Finn replied with a nervous smile. “And if I work in Berkeley, I still get to be a professor, but better still, I get to be with you, and no one will care.”

  “But I don’t want you to change your entire life for me,” Emmy said as she pushed up in the bed, staring into Finn's eyes.

  “You mean like you tried to do for me earlier,” Finn asked as he raised his eyebrows.

  “But if you’re leaving,” Emmy asked as once more her eyes glazed over with unshed tears. “Why did you say those things you said today?”

  “Because it wouldn’t matter whether I had left or not,” Finn explained. “If the Dean knew that we had a relationship while I was still your professor, he would have had no choice but to have expelled you from the school.”

  “But what if he finds out now?” Emmy asked. “Wouldn’t he be suspicious?”

  “He possibly would be,” Finn nodded, but then smile. “But he needs to prove that we were together before I left, and after everything that happened with Shelby, and what I was accused of, I don’t think Dean Webber would be dumb enough to accuse me of anything without proof again.”

  “I see,” Emmy replied then bit her lips as if she was taking everything in.

  “So,” Finn said, giving her a hopeful smile. “All I need to know now is if you want to give me, to give us another try?”

  Emmy smiled as once more tears trickled down her face.

  “Is that a yes?” Finn asked, giving her a hopeful smile, as he held her hand tightly.

  “Yes,” she laughed through her tears. “That’s definitely a yes.”

  “Thank you,” Finn grinned before he leaned down, softly pressing his lips to hers. “I do love you, Emmy Warner.”

  “I love you too, Professor Murphy,” Emmy whispered before Finn leaned in, and kissed her once more.

  Finn leaned against his new car outside the English department in Stanford, waiting for Emmy to come out of the building. It was three days before Christmas, and Emmy had agreed to spend Christmas with him and his family. Finn was beyond excited.

  She had only been back in school a couple of days, but Finn was already missing not spending every day with her.

  After Emmy had been released from the hospital, she stayed with Nell and Sean as was originally agreed. Finn had hoped she would go home with him, but Emmy thought it was best if she didn’t. She had told Finn it was because she was worried about what the Dean would say, but Finn knew it was more than that.

  He knew that she was still a little unsure of herself when it came to them. What he had said that day in the Dean’s office had hurt her. Finn realised that Emmy just needed a little more time to be sure of herself; sure of them. So he agreed that her staying with his parents was the right thing too.

  If she needed time, then that’s what he would give her.

  Still, he spent all his days there at the house with Emmy, and most of his nights too. He wasn’t starting at Berkeley until the New Year, so each morning when he woke up, the only place he wanted to be was with Emmy.

  It had been a little over five weeks since the crash and other than the break in her arm, Emmy had finally got the all clear from the hospital the day before. Which meant she was well enough to go back to her apartment, but Nell said as it was only a few days till Christmas, it made sense for her to stay with them until after the holidays. She said that Christmas was a time for family, now Emmy was part of that family too. Finn knew that what Nell had said to Emmy, meant the world to her. She was no longer alone in the world.

  It was funny, Finn had only known Emmy four short months, but to him, it felt like he had known her all of his life. Emmy was not only the girl he loved; she was his best friend too.

  Finn smiled to himself as he looked down at the flowers he was holding in his hands. Tonight was a special night, so he was feeling both excited and nervous.

  Tonight Finn was taking Emmy out for the sixth official date, and she had agreed to spend the night at his house, so he decided to cook for her. It would be their first time together since Thanksgiving, and while Finn had been happy to wait, he longed to have Emmy in his arms once more, so tonight was everything to him.

  The door to the building finally opened, as Emmy stepped out, looking as beautiful as she always did. The moment she saw Finn, she greeted him with the biggest smile he had ever seen.

  “What are you doing here?” She asked as she walked down the steps of the building. “I wasn’t expecting you to be here. And what’s with the new wheels?”

  “Well, the dealer called me today and said it was ready,” Finn replied with a happy smile as he raised up his hand to show Emmy his cast was finally gone too. “And since I also lost my wrist accessory as well today, I thought I would pick up my girl in my new car, so that I could tell her how much I love her.”

  “Hey, you got your cast off,” Emmy said as she stepped closer to Finn. “Does that mean you all fixed and better now?”

  “It does.” Finn chuckled as he took her in his arms, drawing her closer to him.

  “Great,” Emmy replied, with a smile as she leaned up, softly pressing her lips to his. “And just so you know, your girl loves you too.”

  Finn kissed her once more, before he took hold of her hand, then led her to the passenger door of the car and opened it for her.

  “You’re chariot awaits, Madame,” Finn said then gave Emmy a wink. She smiled once more before she climbed into the passenger seat. Once she was seated, he closed the door before he hurried around that car and climbed in too.

  “This is really nice,” Emmy said as she admired the soft leather interior of the car, while Finn leaned over and helped her with her seatbelt because she couldn’t manage it with her arm. When it was fastened, Finn stole a kiss before he moved back to his seat. “Maybe it’s time for me to upgrade Rosa. I mean, I know I haven’t driven her since before the crash, but I get the pins out of my wrist in two weeks, maybe then I can get back to driving again.”

  “I could buy you a new car,” Finn said without even thinking. “You know, it’s almost Christmas…”

  “You’re not buying me a car,” Emmy laughed, waving her hand dismissively. “If I want a new car I can buy myself one.”

  “But you still haven’t told me what it is you want for Christmas,” Finn said as his glanced over at Emmy, smiling at her.

  “I told you,” Emmy replied as she stared over at Finn, with the biggest smile on her face. “I already have everything I need. I have you.”

  Finn glanced over at her again and smiled. He loved her so much; sometimes it took his breath away.

  When they stopped at a set of traff
ic lights, Finn reached for her hand, then brought it to his lips, and softly kissed it.

  “We will talk about it later,” he grinned knowing that tonight was going to be a special night, and one he had put a lot of thought into.

  “Professor Murphy,” Emmy said as she stared at Finn from across the table. “You are a man of many talents. Dinner was so good.”

  “Well you can thank my mom for that,” Finn replied with a laugh. “She insisted that all her sons learned how to cook when we were growing up. Though I’m not sure, Callum ever mastered it.”

  “You’re very lucky,” Emmy said with a sad smile. “You have a pretty amazing family.”

  “Well they’re your family now, too,” Finn replied with a chuckle as he picked up the wine bottle, topping up both their glasses. “Whether you want them or not.”

  “Then I guess I’m very lucky too,” Emmy said as her smile changed to a happy one.

  “So,” Finn said as he picked up his glass and took a long sip, then he set the glass down, and took a deep breath. “We never finished our discussion about your Christmas present.”

  “I already told you,” Emmy sighed as she gazed into Finn’s eyes, her smile still dancing on her lips. “I have everything I need sitting in front of me.”

  “Funny you should say that,” Finn replied as a tiny bubble of nervousness formed in the pit of his stomach. “Because I feel the same way. I have everything I need too right in front of me. Well, almost.”

  “Almost?” Emmy asked, giving him a questioning look.

  “There is one something I would like,” Finn continued, but he couldn’t help but smile at the look of confusion on her face. He reached into his pocket, pulling out the small box he had been carrying around with him all day, but kept it from view beneath the table. “Emmy, the day you fell into my classroom, I knew that my life would never be the same again. But it wasn’t until I thought I had lost you, not once, but twice did I truly realise just how much I loved you.”