*Dear fans of MSC,

I love you all! All the supportive words I get, and the criticism... I feel so lucky to see everyone who loves Juliet and the sisters and brother of Emma and a living Graham somewhere in the universe! I thought about ending the story when they got to FTL and letting you all conjure up your own reality, but then I thought... I can't. I love how everyone likes it so without further author's note no ones going to read... Here's the next chapter.*

Loyalty

"Emma, there's a chance he won't even be alive." James said, walking into his daughter's room the following morning. Emma scowled at her father as she dressed Juliet, who chortled in reply.

"Well this is great. Nothing says 'good morning' like 'oh, there's a chance the boy you're madly in love with is dead'." Emma barked sarcastically, seeing her father's stone expression become a smile. She leaned back on the bed with Juliet in her arms, her nightgown flowing onto her bedspread. Her father sat on the edge of the bed, and then her mother came in and sat beside her daughter.

"Emma dear we didn't want to lower your hopes..." This was it. Emma's wall was crumbling. She could feel the tears in her eyes. Snow hugged her and refused to let her go. Emma was shaking in her arms, tears streaming down her face. Juliet was beside her mother rolling onto a pillow, James took his granddaughter in his arms and watched his wife and his daughter bond over what no one could. The strong-faced Emma was finally letting her hair down and showing herself. "dear, you can't just bottle this up. I know you miss him."

"I miss him. He died in my hands. He was the father of-apparently- both of my kids." Emma cried, sniffling up the last few tears as Snow patted her back. "I can't afford for Henry to see my like this. I want him to be proud of me."

"Sweetheart, it's okay to want Graham back. But you can't hide this from Henry. He deserves more than this." James replied sweetly, putting a comforting hand on his daughter's back. A slight gasp was heard in the doorway. Eponine had just walked in, seeing Emma in tears and Snow embracing her.

"What's wrong with her?" She returned sourly, making James and Snow turn around. Emma glared at her sister, hoping she would cower away. But little Eponine had a mean side and a certain strength in ignoring how cruel Emma could be.

"Ep, whatever's wrong I'm sure it can wait." Snow growled at her spiteful daughter.

"Came to tell father that his horse is ready for him. Called a meeting with Rumple I think..." Eponine was a lot nicer to her father than her mother, which surprised Emma. All of them seemed to love Snow, all of the kids other than Eponine. Emma didn't know why, and honestly didn't care. "Come on, father, Marius and Michael are waiting for you in the stables. If you don't set out now there's no way to get there by dark."

James kissed his wife as she unwrapped Emma from a hug, and she whispered in his ear. "Please be safe." He smiled as if giving a reply, but walked out without another word leaving his wife with his two feuding daughters and little Juliet with a smile on her face.

...later, Allison and Emma are in the gardens just enjoying each other's company...

"Henry went to go hunting with Avery and uncle Thomas, I told him he could. That's alright, right?" Allison asked hopefully, receiving a stiff nod from Emma. Juliet was taking her nap, Margaret and Snow were cleaning around the house or sewing... things that Emma and Allison should have been doing. "You're quieter than usual, Em. What's bothering you?"

"I was just thinking." Emma said sourly. Eponine's encounter with Emma today had put Emma in a sour mood, she didn't see how her little brunette sister could upset her so much.

"About Ep?" Allison wondered, Emma snapping around to look at her under the apple tree. "Margaret told me what happened today. Said she was no different than usual."

"Where DO all this house's loyalties lie?" Emma added with a chuckle, seeing the blonde smile back. Eponine and Elizabeth had gorgeous flowing dark hair, similar to Margaret's curls. But Allison's wasn't. She had blonde hair like Emma, blonde hair that waved instead of spiraling like Emma's. Pretty blonde hair and a fragile silhouette swallowed in the light peach fabric of her oversized dress. Emma, Allison, and Avery all had blonde hair like their father; but Allison was-at least in Emma's eyes- the prettiest of all three.

"Well, Ep believes in three people: father, Marius, and Maria." She answered simply, picking one of the fruits and taking a large bite from the granny smith.

"Maria?" Emma questioned softly. "Who's Maria?"

"Ep had a baby last fall, but she died that winter. She was brokenhearted, but it brought her back to consoling in Lizzie. She had started to hate Lizzie, but Maria's death brought them back together. That twin bond strengthened by the death of her child." Emma almost felt bad hearing this. Was this why Eponine seemed so dark? "It's why she doesn't really seem too fond of Henry or Juliet. Or you. She only trusts father and Marius, she can hardly stand mother."

"And the other loyalties, now that THAT's cleared up?" Emma, with childlike simplicity, inquired. She sat beside the twenty five year old, two puddles of pink and cream under the bright green canopy of the tree.

"Margaret and mother, of course." Mary Margaret- now Snow- and her lovely lookalike daughter Margaret getting along well. Who knew? "Avery and father, father and Henry, Henry and Avery." This-again- was no surprise to Emma. "And me and you."

"I would've thought the prodigal child would have worshipped her parents." Emma joked, clearly talking about Allison. Allison pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I don't know, you tell me." Allison had all the traits Emma had wanted: great humor, even temper, beautiful. She was the best of Snow and James. "Mother and father love you so much, I don't blame them. You're rebellious and beautiful; two qualities they admired in each other." Emma grinned at her adoring sister. "You're not like the rest of us. You're less a princess and more... human than the rest of us. Not as stiff and royal as us other kids, or mother or father."

Emma thought to comment on this, but resisted the urge. She stood and helped her sister up, then answered diligently. "Come on, Ally, I'm sure mother is wondering where we are."

"I miss us just talking Em." Allison admitted. "Since Juliet was born we've grown apart. I'm glad to see us spending time together again, now that she's not a baby anymore."

Emma's heart sank. She was right. Juliet wasn't just a little baby anymore.

...later, Emma comes in but her mother has some shocking news about Juliet...

Snow stood in the doorway when Emma walked in. There were faded grass stains on the bottom rim of her dress, identical to Allison's. "I really shouldn't let you girls wear light colored clothes, you always stain them." Snow chuckled, Eponine barely looked up from her cross-stitching. Elizabeth had little Juliet in her arms, chortling in her aunt's lap.

"Good god, Ally, you're a mess!" Eponine jabbed, Allison just but her lip and said nothing. Eponine scowled back at her attempted passive personality.

"Sorry, Ep, that you're in such a foul mood. Oh wait! since Maria..."

"Are you insane don't bring her up, Ally!" Elizabeth squealed, seeing Eponine storm up the stairs with tears in her eyes. Emma almost felt bad at what her spiteful sister did to her even more spiteful sister. But she saw words escape Elizabeth's lips before she could say anything.

"Ally, please go to your room and change. Lizzie, please go console your sister. Emma, you and I need to talk." Snow gave her orders, and the two younger sisters went up the stairs. She and Emma sat on the couch, with Juliet held closely in her grandmother's arms. "Did you hear what Juliet said today?"

Juliet didn't say much. Emma just figured she was shy, she never really had anything to say. Emma didn't know she said much other than "momma" or "grammy" which she called Snow. "Dunno mom, what?"

"Daddy." This came as a surprise to Emma although she said nothing as her little girl said it.

"And you'll never guess who to." Snow said as a second warning. "Your father." Emma didn't know what to say. She just kept listening to what her mother had to say. "He was leaving and she wrapped her arms around his neck and squealed daddy as he tried to walk away. It caught both of us a little off-guard."

"We really need Graham back home." Emma sighed, looking at her little girl again. "Before something really happens. I don't want him to miss it all." Snow put her hand on her daughter's knee.

"Now, dear, please go upstairs and make sure your sisters are all alright. I don't want anyone killing the other."

*hmmm... That's the end of this chapter. I'm so glad you all are still reading, it really makes my day! So review, like I always ask you to do at this time and... if you usually don't review, please change that and tell me what you think!*