Hello everyone! Sorry for the lack of updates, I was without internet basically all week. Thanks again to everyone's continuous support, I truly appreciate it. Really- I do. To Guest11- Thomas is Emma's social worker; also, I don't think I will have Emma entering any romantic relationships AT LEAST NOT NOW, I'm not saying I never will, but I am going to wait it out a bit. Thank you again to everyone, since this is the tenth chapter (!) I would just like to say simply thank you. I never thought this story would go where it went and it only happened because of you guys. Therefore, I am eternally grateful. Anyway, enough of my blabbing, here is chapter 10

Emma's POV-

Walking into the hospital after waving good bye to Thomas, I sprint up the stairs toward the Eating Disorder Wing. Hoping to have some alone time after the emotionally exhausting meeting, and also some time to be able to think about the whole "dad" situation.

As I walk down the hallway, toward my room, loud noises emerges from my open door. I round the corner an through my windows, I see my friends gathered around my bed. When I walk in, everyone looks up, large grins on their faces.

"Emma! How was it! Who was that man?" Leo shouts.

"Who was he?!" Jordi and Dash shout together.

"It's about time you got back- so did you find out who he was or not?" Kara says rudely.

"Uh- hi guys." I mumble sadly. Leo does a double take when he notices my tear stained cheeks and puffy eyes.

"What's wrong, Emma?" he says, limping over to me and sitting next to me.

"Nothing," I say far too quickly. "Um… I mean nothing- yeah nothing."

"Come on Emma, we all may be sick- but we're not stupid." Dash says in a joking but serious manner.

"I don't really want to talk about it right now guys. I'm actually still trying to process it myself." I say.

"But we can help," Jordi pushes. The others nod in agreement.

"Thanks guys, but I really just need to figure this out on my own for now. There really isn't anything that you guys can really do to help at the moment." All three boys start to say something (Kara has been staring intently at her phone since I had walked in) but they are interrupted by Nurse Jackson coming in.

"Boys, would you mind if I had a word with Emma- alone." She says, they start to leave but she starts to speak again. "Leo you have PT and Dash you had Oxygen Therapy. Kara you have a stress test, and Jordi you have to rest for chemo tomorrow. So everyone beat it- I don't want any lingering ears." Amazed at how Nurse Jackson had remembered everyone's schedule, they leave the room- stunned.

Switching seats, I move to my now deserted bed and plop down on the plush covers. "So- how was it?" Nurse Jackson asks sadly, sitting next to me and putting her hand on my knee. I lay my head on her soft shoulder, sniffing in the comforting smell of her hair and shampoo.

"It was horrible, in all honesty. I mean, my father is back!" I cry out, eyes clouding with tears. Nurse Jackson wraps her arms around me and rocks softly side to side.

"I know sweetie, let it out. It's all right. Let it now." Another choked sob sounds from my mouth, as my face once again floods with tears.

"He just left me. Left me because he was hurting. He left me!" I shout, remembering the day he left me.

I feel Nurse Jackson nod as she continues to hold me like I'm a little kid.

"Nurse Jackson- he really isn't dangerous, is he?" I ask. The sweet, kind, and caring man, although cowardly, was the man everyone was forcing me not to see.

She sighs, and lifts my head up so she could look into my eyes. "Well, he has been seen going back to your mother and using drugs." More tears fall.

"But he wouldn't go back to her after he left, would he? He left because she was hurting him!" I shout back.

"From what you have told me, he loved your mom very much, sometimes for the wrong reasons. He was blinded by his love for her." She concludes. I nod, it was true. Unfortunate, but true.

"So they're both back?" I ask. Nurse Jackson looks at me sadly, but says a small yes.

"I'm very sorry sweet heart. But don't worry- you won't have to do anything or go anywhere with either of them. I, as well as Dr. McAndrew, Thomas, and the rest of the hospital staff, will make sure of that. Okay?"

"Okay." I say quietly. Nuzzling my head back onto her shoulder, she kisses my head softly and continues rocking me until I have calmed down. As much as I hate to admit it- they were back. And I hated it.

Disrupting us from our quiet state, Kenji walks into my room.

"Dana, we have a new patient waiting for you at the Nursing Station," he says quickly and without waiting for an answer, he rushes off to his next stop.

I sit up, waiting for her to leave. I wipe my eyes dry and give Nurse Jackson one last hug, "Thank you," I mumble, the cloth of her scrubs muffling my voice.

"No need to thank me sweet heart, I will always be here for you. You know that don't you?" she asks, suddenly worried that I had forgotten the one thing she always has told me.

"I know." I reassure her. Patting my hand one last time, she gets up and leaves the room and leaving me with my thoughts.

Flashback

General POV**

"You do realize that your father left because of you right?!" The drunk mother stumbles in through the back door, encountering her nine year old daughter sitting innocently at the counter doing homework. Without even glancing up, Emma tries slipping off the seat and slowly making her way toward the stairs. The woman grabs her daughter's already bruised wrist, resulting in a cry of pain from her.

"I wouldn't blame him though, I mean maybe if you had turned out correctly, he might've stayed- but you, you're so ugly and pathetic he couldn't stand to even look at you anymore." She snarls.

The girl shakes her head, refusing to believe a word that her mother was speaking. "Don't shake your head at me girl!" she shouts, slapping Emma across the face. She drops to the floor, clutching her face with her hands. The nine year old curls up in a ball, guarding all vital parts of her body. "It's the truth- you don't want to hear the truth?!" she shouts, kicking the girl sharply in the stomach, nearly missing her ribs. "Your father was a coward he left you!" she cackles as Emma cries silently on the floor. "Although, I am happy he left me a gong away gift." She smiles wickedly at her daughter and with one more kick to the stomach, walks away, lighting a cigarette as she goes.

So! How was that? Next chapter I will be introducing the new patient. Thank you again for reading, and any reviews, follows, or favorites will be greatly appreciated. Hope you enjoyed, until next time… Bye for now!