THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT ON THE LAST CHAPTER. THE NEXT ONES PROBABLY WON'T BE AS LONG AS THE FIRST BECAUSE WHEN I STARTED, I INTENDED IT TO BE A ONE SHOT BUT I LOVE THE IDEA SO I RAN WITH IT. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A HEADS UP. ALSO, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WHEN GRAHAM AND EMMA KISS, HE WON'T REMEMBER. I DON'T REALLY WANT TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION. THAT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE IF I DECIDE TO.
"I waited. I waited two weeks, and I don't want to wait any longer. I didn't believe in love at first sight until I met you. I want to be more than friends." He holds his breath, waiting for a response. Emma opens her mouth and closes it a couple times, at a loss for words. She has to say something, and they come out before she can even think about what she's saying.
"Me too."
Now it's Graham's turn to stare in shock. Of all the things she could say, he never expected that.
"Great." He smiles. "So on Saturday maybe we can do something?"
"If by something you mean drinks, I can't. My doctor won't let me drink until my ankle's fully healed.
"Oh, okay. Well, maybe we can do something else." He tries to hide the disappointment.
"Can we just be friends first?" She asks. "I'm sorry it's just… I've never really had a real relationship where I care about the person. I don't want to screw it up."
"No, that's fine." He's upset, but knows that this is a start, and right now, he'll take what he can get. "I mean, that's good. It's a good thing for right now." Graham doesn't want to mention the fact that he still has to end the thing with Regina. They go through their usual routine, and after he drops her off at home, he drives around for the next few hours until Henry's sure to be asleep and stops at Regina's. When they get up to the bedroom, he pauses.
"We need to talk."
"No we don't." She says, beginning to unbutton his shirt.
"Regina, no. We're done." He pushes her off him, and he tries to read her but fails.
"Get out." She commands, and he climbs out the window faster than he ever has. He winces as headlights fall on him, and sees Mary Margaret looking at him. She pulls over and motions for him to get over there. He does.
"You should stay away from Emma." The brunette warns, and Graham didn't realize she could be this intimidating.
"I broke up with Regina. It wasn't really a relationship, Mary Margaret. No strings were attached."
"Graham," she warns, "If you hurt her, I swear to God…"
"I promise I won't hurt her." He says.
"Don't make promises you can't keep." With that, she gets back in her car and heads home. He does the same.
Mary Margaret quietly opens the door and glances around the first floor of the quaint apartment, trying to see if the blonde is still up. She gives a small smile when she doesn't see her, and knows that she's finally getting some rest. She all but has a heart attack when Emma speaks.
"Hey."
"Jesus!" She jumps, placing a hand over her racing heart.
"Sorry." Emma turns the lamp on. Mary Margaret takes in the tub of Ben & Jerry's and gives her a pointed look. "I… cravings." The blonde explains, gesturing to the ice cream.
"I see you talked to Graham." The smaller woman says as nonchalantly as possible, placing her bag on the table.
"Yeah." Emma says after a moment. "I'm conflicted."
"About?"
"He wants to be more than friends."
"And you don't?" the brunette takes a seat next to her on the couch.
"I do it's just…" She shrugs. "I've never been in a real relationship where I truly care about the person. I don't want to get hurt." Emma looks down at picks at a scab on her hand. It's no secret that she has a fear of getting hurt, but to actually voice it, let alone to another human being is something she's never done. She hates feeling this vulnerable. Guilt begins to overwhelm Mary Margaret. Logically, she knows she should tell her roommate that the man technically cheated on Regina with her; but part of her knows that Graham broke up with the Mayor for her. The woman finally lets her wall down a little, and she'd hate to be the one to tell her that Graham wasn't fully committed to the last person he dated. Finally, the brunette settles on not telling her. He threw the idea out to his deputy, and broke things off with his ex when the timing was right. Obviously he would've gone right after work, but Henry would have known. She prays she made the right decision.
"Emma, all relationships will hurt you at one point or another. Whether it's just anger and frustration at me for not letting you drown your sorrows or because you and Graham had a fight, it will hurt." It's the best advice she can give.
"I figured that out." She says glumly, picking up the spoon again.
"How about you put the ice cream away and go to bed? It's late."
"I know." For some reason, Emma complies. "Hey, where were you? It's almost 11:00."
"Busy." Mary Margaret answers, getting up to charge her phone.
"Oh come on. I answered your questions, you can at least answer one of mine." Emma follows her, putting her beloved ice cream in the freezer.
"Fine." She sighs. "I was with David." She peaks a glance at the blonde and rolls her eyes at the smirk. "Shut up."
"I'm not saying anything." Emma puts her hands up in surrender and starts up the stairs.
"Really, Emma? 'Death By Chocolate'?" Still, the brunette opens the tub back up and grabs a spoon.
The next morning Emma opens the door and smiles at Graham, and he returns it.
"Yes." She says, and he gives her a quizzical look.
"Yes what?"
"Dinner tonight. I can't cook but I can bring pizza."
"Emma…" He pulls her back into the apartment. "I want to, believe me I do. We can't right now." He struggles for the right words, and takes her hand in his.
"You're breaking up with me before we even start dating?" She snatches it back and crosses her arms.
"No!" He looks alarmed. "God, no. Regina's mad."
"You told her?"
"Don't interrupt, just let me finish what I have to say." He takes a deep breath before continuing. "I had been with Regina for a while, and I broke things off. She's going to figure out that it was for you, and she's going to be furious. She was about ready to take my head off the other night. I can't imagine what she'll do to you, and you have a bad ankle at the moment." She stares at him in disbelief for a moment.
"She wouldn't physically harm me, Graham."
"You don't know what she's capable of." He says evenly, relieved she's not mad.
"I don't care." She shakes her head, trying to make sense of it all. "I-I have a physical therapy appointment today. Last week he said I'd probably be good to go, and I feel great. The incision's even fading."
"Don't even think about it, Emma." Graham says sternly, but with all the concern in the world.
"I'm fine, Graham. Honest."
"I'll compromise. Let me go to your appointment with you." He says.
"Yes, because that doesn't seem suspicious at all." She says sarcastically.
"We can say it's routine. You got hurt on the job."
"We can do this. I don't care about Regina. I don't care what she does to me. I don't need to be protected." To prove her point, she gets up to put her coffee mug in the sink. On her way back, she trips over a rug, miraculously landing on the couch.
"Yeah, you do, Ems." He takes her hand and guides her down the stairs to the car. She eats her donut on the way in, and the day goes by slowly. The phone rings and Graham answers, looking at the clock impatiently. He hangs up. "Ruby says Leroy has not come in yet, which means he won't be there tonight."
"Which means you can come to my PT appointment." She does her best to hide a grin, but doesn't.
"Well, it's time to go. We wouldn't want to be late." He shuts the computer down. On their way out Regina pulls up.
"Really?" Emma groans.
"Here we go again." He mumbles. "Madame Mayor, how's your day going?"
"You can drop the act, Sheriff. I was just stopping by to see if either of you are doing your job… which you aren't." If looks could kill, they'd both be dead by now.
"We're free to go at 5:00, and it's a couple minutes past. I think you should learn how to tell time." Emma pushes past her and clomps to the car, her air cast banging against the pavement. Regina keeps a stone cold expression on her face.
"I don't know what you see in her." Regina whispers in his ear. "But at least I can care about you. That woman has as much empathy and compassion as a block of ice. If she's who your heart belongs to, then so be it." With that, she gets in her car and drives off.
"What did she say to you?" Emma asks when he gets in.
"She knows about us." Is all he says and turns the ignition on.
"Did she threaten you?" She looks at him, taking his hand in hers. Graham looks in her eyes and sees someone completely different than who Regina sees.
"No. But she insulted you."
"That's nothing new." She says, giving a hearty laugh. "I can't believe she drove all the way over here just to insult me, but not even say it to my face."
"What I can't believe is that she called you a block of ice." He pulls out of the parking lot.
"That was her insult?" Emma laughs again. "The nerve she has to call me icy. She's the one who's stone cold. I mean, I am thoroughly convinced that she has no emotions except for hatred. I may not show mine very often, but I do have them."
"You're an amazing person, Emma. I'm so lucky to have you in my life."
"Um… thanks." She looks surprised, and he's taken aback. It finally occurs to him that no one really has ever told her they're glad she didn't die on that road as a newborn, and it breaks his heart. They sit in an awkward silence for the rest of the way. "Thanks for the ride." She slams the door shut, and he sighs but follows.
"Emma, wait! Remember our deal? I have to make sure that the doctor says you're okay before I let you do anything insane."
"I'm not a teenager who just broke my dad's prized vase. I don't need to lie to you." She turns around, hands on her hips.
"I am your superior, though, and this is work related. Therefore, I am deeming it necessary that I be present at this examination."
"Fine." She nods after a moment. "But only because I said you could this morning." They make their way to the waiting room and take a seat in a white plastic chair. Graham smiles. "What?"
"Nothing." He wipes it off.
"Don't tell me the Telly Tubbies are amusing you." Emma gestures toward the TV.
"No, it's not that. I was just thinking that since you got hurt, I've only gotten one call about Leroy, and he wasn't even half as drunk as usual. It seems Storybrooke has decided to behave for us."
"Emma!" a red-haired nurse calls from a counter. "Dr. Jenkins will be with you in a few minutes if you want to go into your usual room."
"Thanks." Graham follows the blonde as they make their way around numerous chairs and scattered toys. He sits in a chair while she hops onto the exam table.
"I just thought you should know something." He says slowly.
"Yeah?"
"After the town heard about what happened, Matt Cursory came by the station. He's really sorry about what happened, he never meant to hurt you. He just doesn't want to go to jail."
"I didn't hear anything about a trial. How's that going?"
"Regina dismissed the case." He says.
"We have him on four charges!" Emma all but yells.
"I know we do, but after we arrest him it's out of our control." Graham replies in a soothing voice.
"Good afternoon!" Dr. Jenkins comes in with a smile. "So if I remember correctly last week we were thinking the cast might come off?"
"Yes."
"Well, let's take a look." He begins unstrapping the cast and carefully removes it. For the first time Graham sees the ankle. It's no longer swollen and has a 1 inch long incision that is a pinkish color.
"That looks really good, Emma." He smiles.
"I agree." Dr. Jenkins says. He presses on a few places. "Does that hurt?"
"No. Really, it feels fine."
"I think we should get an x-ray just to be safe. If that looks okay, then I'd say you can do whatever you want." He claps his hands together, then hands her a form. "Just give this to the technician. Wait." He frowns. "How long has it been post-surgery?"
"A little over two weeks. Why?" Emma answers
"It's just that typically it takes almost three weeks to be healed enough that I'm comfortable letting patients do what they want. I guess we'll see what the x-ray shows."
"I'll go with you." Graham gets up and follows her once again around the hospital. Ten minutes later they're back in the room and Dr. Jenkins puts the film on the light box and smiles.
"You, my dear, have very strong bones that reproduce fast." He points to the dark line. "That's a hairline fracture, but to be expected. You have full medical clearance to return to normal physical activity. When you leave, just grab the forms from Katy at the front. Obviously if it starts hurting, stop, and if it keeps up come back. Oh, and just wear the cast till you get home. You can keep it, too."
"Okay. Thanks." Emma smiles. They walk out and Graham leans against the wall, patiently waiting while she fills out the paperwork. He finally talks when they get in the car.
"This is great."
"Yeah. This means that we can be in a relationship because her royal pain in the ass holds no advantage over either of us now." She says.
"Yeah it does." He grins, and then his cell phone goes off. "Hello?"
"Hey, it's Mary Margaret. Sorry to bother you, but I tried calling Emma and it went straight to voicemail. Um, I think I saw a wolf in the cemetery. I was driving by and it's dark, but…" The brunette says on the other end of the line.
"She's with me. It must be dead. We'll go check it out. Goodnight." He hangs up. "There's a possible wolf in the cemetery."
"A wolf in Storybrooke?" She gives him a look, but buckles up anyway. "Well, at least this job is more interesting…"
"You have your gun?" Graham asks as he speeds down the road.
"Yes, now would you please slow down? It's a wolf, not a person having a seizure." She says.
"Sorry." He drops to the speed limit. "I just don't want somebody to shoot it before we get there. Although, if it comes at you, please shoot it."
"No problems there." Emma replies as she racks her weapon.
"But don't hit me."
"I know how to use a gun, Graham." He can tell she's getting irritated.
"I know you do, but technically after being on a medical leave you're supposed to take a psychological evaluation and another safety test in order to be reinstated." He says, dividing his attention between her and the road.
"If you're going to go that fast, pay attention to the road!"
"We're here." He says, and they jump out of the car. "You go right and I'll go left. Holler if you see anything."
"Give me a sec." She says, unstrapping the cast. "I can't be quiet in that thing. Let's go." After a few minutes they circle back, and Graham is more than a little relieved when they circle back to each other and sees that she's in one piece.
"Nothing?"
"Nope." She shakes her head.
"What are you doing here?" Regina asks, holding a bouquet of flowers.
"Are you stalking us?" Emma ignores her question.
"We're answering a call about a wolf." Graham answers.
"There are no wolfs in Storybrooke, Sheriff." Regina says coldly. She's obviously taking the break up harder than he thought she would. "Ms. Swan, why do you take everything I hold dear?"
"Regina, it's not her fault." Graham intervenes.
"None of this started until she got here."
"Did you ever consider that I'm not the problem her? Henry came and found me." She begins pacing around Regina. "Graham left you for me. Both were miserable. So I suggest you take a good hard look in the mirror, Madame Mayor, and ask why that is." Regina stands there for a few seconds, her face unreadable. Then she punches the blonde in the face, sending her flying into Graham, knocking both of them down. Emma recoveries quickly, delivering a blow to Regina, and pins her against the mausoleum. She winds up to strike her again, but Graham pulls her off. They each take a few calming breaths. "You're not worth it." Emma says as she stomps back to the car. Graham glares at the brunette and follows his girlfriend. They get in and he starts the engine.
"Are you okay?" He asks.
"I'm fine." She grumbles, looking out the window.
"I still think we should get you back to the station to get cleaned up." He insists.
"If it means I get to spend more time with you." She looks at him and smiles. Graham pulls out onto the main road.
"Do you still think that she would never physically harm you?"
"It's not like it would have mattered. I had it under control."
"I was tempted to leave the two of you there and come back in an hour. Maybe she would have learned a lesson."
"You should have." She laughs.
"Yeah, but I'd hate to have to arrest you again. Besides, you can use that as leverage for getting custody of Henry."
"I don't want custody of Henry." Emma says.
"Then why are you still here?" He asks as he parks the car.
"I don't want to talk about this right now." She says, slamming the door when she gets out.
"Fine, we won't." Graham gives in. "Your ankle okay?"
"I told you I'm fine." She says impatiently.
"Sit." He pats the desk. She hops up. "It looks like just a scratch above your eye."
"You got knocked over, too. Are you okay?"
"Yes, Emma."
"See, you don't like me badgering you, so stop badgering me." She says.
"I'm not the one who keeps getting hurt." He quips, dabbing some alcohol on the wound. She hisses and moves back, but a small smile still graces her lips. "All done." He walks over to his desk to put the first aid kit away. When he turns around, she's making her way towards him, her smile growing but cautious, and he isn't sure if he sees tears in her eyes or if it's the lighting. Carefully, she places a tender kiss to his lips. They break apart, each silently asking for permission to go further. The next one is more passionate. Suddenly, excruciating pain radiates from his chest outward. He gasps, not even able to let out a strangled cry. He grabs his chest and collapses.
"Graham!" Emma shrieks. "Graham, what happened!" He can't feel his body, he can't feel anything but the pain. He is aware of his Deputy's desperate voice, and he wishes he could tell her he loves her. The last thing Graham remembers is her sobs before fading into blackness.
SORRY TO LEAVE YOU GUYS WITH SUCH A BIG CLIFFY. I'LL TRY TO UPDTE SOON.