Author note - An alternate take on what happened in that scene from True Colors from season 6. It's kind of a mess I apologize. This was the first thing that came to mind.
Sean entered the main vestibule at the courthouse handcuffed with an officer present for court. Emma's mind was flooded with sadness as she saw him battered and bruised. She feared for him and his safety. As he stood before her with an officer attempting to take him back to the place he feared the most his eyes lit up as he saw Emma. He had so many questions and so many things he wanted to say to Emma. One thing for sure, he didn't want things to play out this way and he didn't want Emma to see him like this but he was glad to see someone from the outside in his corner.
"Emma." He greeted her his voice was upbeat despite his condition.
"Sean you look terrible." Emma gasped, "what happened?"
"Doesn't matter," He didn't want to lie he was sure Jay told him about their little visit a few days before but he didn't want to tell her. He simply just said, "It's good to see you." He didn't want her to worry but he knew she did else she wouldn't be here.
A pause fell over them as she pulled him into a warm hug. He just looked so devoid of hope. It was then that Emma realized she had feelings for him that had awoken up but she tried to push them far from the surface but she was still with Peter and she felt more or less obligated to stay with Peter because he stayed with her through her issues that happened in the last year. He managed a genuine beam as he pulled away from the hug, "Vanilla I missed that smell. " She softly grimaced as he added, "Jay told me you weren't coming."
"I initially wasn't going to, but I thought you could use a friend."
"Em," he told her, "I just want you to know I didn't." he lowered his voice even more, "I don't do drugs. I would never touch the stuff. You gotta believe me."
"I don't know what to say about that after all, they were in your locker."
Sean was disappointed but he didn't hate her. She simply didn't know. It just hurt.
With gritted teeth, he muttered, "Yeah well Peter put them there. It doesn't take an Einstein to know he got my combination from Hatzilacos." Emma appeared unmoved as Sean furrowed his brow with sadness and frustration, "Sorry." He apologized while Emma just watched him but then she was taken back by what he asked next, "Why don't you believe me? Answer me this, would I lie to you? Have I ever?"
Emma shook her head no, the officer holding Sean was growing impatient he had tugged at Sean to move but he wouldn't. He kept on yanking him backward by the hands but Sean remained immobile. He didn't want to go back to that place. He wanted to be in Emma's presence as if she could keep him safe despite the fact she's still with Peter and that she couldn't do anything to his knowledge to help his predicament. "I didn't say I didn't - nevermind."
Crestfallen Sean bit his bottom lip nearing tears that he kept choking back because the last thing he wanted to do was cry here with his voice breaking down he hoarsely and vulnerably asked her,. "Did you really mean you can't even for a moment care about me? Did I really screw it all up? Did I imagine it?"
"Sean…" Emma started to say matching the sadness. "You know for a fact it's complicated."
Finally, the impatient officer pulled Sean back and left Emma in the hall waiting for him and the judge's verdict. He had heard enough he simply told Sean, "Let's go."
Sean looked back sadly at Emma and grimaced before going through the doors of the courtroom. She wished there was something she could do. And then it dawned on her, she had to get him out of there, and she had an idea about how.