A/N: First things first (I'm the realest-sorry, I had to), I decided to go ahead and finish out the 'year' for you guys, since I couldn't get the last chapter posted in a timely manner.
Okay, so I'm going to preface this by saying that I'm not entirely sure how the foster care system works. Of course I did my basic research, but I probably have stretched the 'rules' a little bit to make the story go in the direction I wanted it to. I hope you enjoy it regardless!
Listened to: 'How To Save a Life' by The Fray, 'Emma's Song' from the OUAT Soundtrack, & 'Arms' by Christina Perri.
"Liam, I need to talk to you, like right now." Killian said as he approached his brother.
"I'll talk to you later, yeah?" Liam smiled to whoever he was talking to, "Kill, I was talking to someone-"
"Emma isn't here today."
"Kill, really? She's probably sick. Everyone is." Liam sighed.
"No, that's not the problem. I texted her three hours ago, and she never replied." Killian said, "She could be hurt, Liam."
"Killian, we can't just leave school-"
"Please, Liam." Killian pleaded, the same way he had years ago when Milah was getting sicker.
"Fine, c'mon." Liam sighed, motioning his brother to follow, "Keep trying to contact her, okay?"
"Okay." Killian nodded.
Liam drove to Emma's foster house, pursing his lips at the gross look of it.
"Can you come with me?" Killian asked, and Liam nodded. He followed his brother up to the house, waiting for him to knock.
"No one's answering." Killian spoke quickly, his accent bleeding into his words. Liam reached over and jiggled the handle, only to find it open. He looked to Killian before taking a cautious step in. Killian followed behind, unsure of where she might be.
"It's freezing in here." Liam grumbled.
"Emma?" He asked, ignoring his brother and peeking into every room, "Emma, where are you?"
He heard a noise from behind him, a noise that sounded a lot like a whimper. He whipped around, unsure of where it came from.
"Did you hear that?"
"Yeah." Liam said, glancing around.
"Emma, are you in here?" Killian asked. The noise was repeated, and Killian had determined that it had come from the closet. He carefully walked to the door, opening it slowly. A body tumbled out, and the blonde hair gave it away that it was definitely Emma.
"Emma!" He exclaimed, gently turning her over. He nearly gagged at how much blood covered her face, mainly around her temple. Bruises littered her arms, and she was paler than usual.
"Emma, oh, Emma!" Killian cried.
"Killian, she needs help. We need to get her to the hospital." Liam said. Killian nodded quickly, gently lifting her off the ground. She was limp in his arms, entirely unmoving.
"You stay in the backseat with her, okay?" Liam demanded, "Keep her warm."
"Okay." Killian spoke softly, trying his hardest not to cry. He carried her out to the car, carefully crawling into the backseat. He brushed some of her matted hair back, bloodying his own hands.
"Emma, you'll be okay. You're safe with me." Killian whispered, wrapping his arms tighter around her body. He heard his brother calling the hospital, telling them what was going on.
"Liam, she can't go back to that house."
"I know. We'll work something out, okay? For now, we've got other things to worry about." Liam reminded him, trying to focus on driving.
"Emma, stay with me, please." Killian whispered, a tear dripping onto her forehead. He brought her cold body closer to his, hoping to warm her up.
"Liam, she's really cold."
"We're almost there, Kill. I promise." Liam said, "Just try and hang in there."
Killian closed his eyes, letting more warm tears trickle down his cheeks, hoping, praying, that Emma would be okay. He didn't know what he'd do if he lost her the way he lost Milah. Liam finally pulled into the hospital, and parked to help Killian and Emma out of the car.
"Go take her to the ER. I'll find somewhere to park, okay?"
"Okay." Killian nodded, bolting for the door and hurrying inside, his tears stinging on his cheeks.
"Emma Swan?" A nurse asked him.
"Yes, she needs help as quickly as possible." Killian spoke as calmly as he could, his accent coming out again. The nurse left and came back with three others and a stretcher. Killian hesitantly laid her down, trying his hardest to be careful. They rushed her away, leaving him standing in the middle of the waiting room. He couldn't even sigh with relief-he knew that even though she was here, they couldn't necessarily save her if something were to happen. He knew they would try, but that meant nothing.
To get his mind off everything, he decided to go to the bathroom and wash the blood off his hands. As soon as he got to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, he broke down. He'd done this before-well, minus the blood-he'd been in the hospital bathroom, trying to find somewhere to blow off steam, to cool down, to just think alone. This was exactly like Milah.
And that's what scared him.
So, he scrubbed his hands until they were raw, trying his hardest to get any trace of Emma's blood off them. Tears flooded his eyes, his chest erupting in sobs that he couldn't control. Emma was all he would have when Liam left. If he lost her, he lost any and all connections to the outside world.
"Why did I know I'd find you in here?" Liam's voice asked from behind him. Killian looked up from the sink, staring at his brother.
"You know me too well, I'm afraid." Killian replied, making Liam smile.
"Any word on her?"
"None." Killian replied with a sniffle, "I can't lose her, Liam, I can't..."
"I know, Kill. I know." Liam spoke softly, tugging his brother into his arms, "You won't lose her. She'll be okay."
"I hope you're right."
"I am, Killian. I know I am." Liam replied, then tugged away with a smile, "Now, let's go wait where normal people wait."
"Are you calling me abnormal?" Killian asked, falsely offended.
"Of course not." Liam chuckled, wrapping an arm around his brother's shoulder and leading him out of the bathroom.
The two brothers waited for only an hour or so (that felt like a lifetime), before a nurse came looking for them.
"Are you here for Emma Swan?"
"Yes, ma'am. We're her... friends."
"Good news is that she'll be alright. Trauma is expected, but for the most part, she'll be okay."
"And the bad news?" Liam asked.
"Once she's fully conscious, the police are looking to file a report."
"Oh, god, the police are here?" Killian mumbled.
"Thank you. Can we go see her?"
"One at a time."
"Kill, you go first." Liam said, to which he nodded. He walked down the stark white hallway, hoping that she'd be awake. He hated those white walls-it only reminded him of Milah. That's all the whole place reminded him of, and they weren't great memories.
Once he found the room, he carefully opened the door to see Emma lying in the bed, seemingly staring up at the ceiling.
"Emma." Killian breathed, causing her to look over.
"Killian?" She replied shakily. He hurried over to the bed and gathered her into his arms, the pads of his fingers digging into her bony back.
"You terrified me, Swan."
"How did I get here?" She asked, and Killian sighed and tugged away.
"Liam and I brought you here. We found you in a closet. You were... I don't even know." Killian said, "Do you know what happened?"
"I'd rather not talk about it." Emma replied softly.
"God, I'm just glad you're alive. I thought you'd left me."
"Never, Killian." She whispered, pressing a kiss to his ear.
"I do have some bad news for you," Killian said, carefully tugging away and meeting her eyes, "The police want to file a report."
Emma offered a quick nod, causing Killian to move his hands to the sides of her neck.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, changing the subject.
"My head hurts, my whole body aches." Emma breathed.
"Don't worry. The doctors will give you some medicine that'll make it go away, Stitches." Killian smiled.
"Great, another nickname." Emma teased with a small smile.
"Always another nickname, love." Killian grinned, carefully brushing some of her bangs out of her face, "I ought to go, I suppose, so the police can come talk to-"
"Could you stay when they talk to me?" Emma asked carefully, "I'd feel... safer, with you here."
"Of course, Emma." Killian replied, taking her hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze.
The police came to talk to her (and luckily none of them recognized Killian's face), and the story unraveled. Her foster father had come home the night before, drunk out of his mind, and went on a rampage when Emma dropped a dish she was cleaning. Emma had obviously taken the worst of it, though she thought that other kids may have gotten hit as well.
"You will not be living there any longer, Miss Swan. We'll have it sorted out, and you'll be placed in another-"
"Wait, she can live with my brother and me. He's eighteen, I'm sixteen. We're good friends." Killian interrupted, "I can go get my brother. I know that he won't have any kind of problem having her stay with us."
"Oh, Killian, no, I-"
"I'll be right back." Killian spoke quickly, hurrying out of the room and down the hall.
"Liam!" Killian called out as soon as he got to the waiting room. His brother quickly rose to his feet, confused.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"I need you in Emma's room before she makes a really stupid decision." Killian spoke out of breath.
"What?"
"Just come with me." Killian said, turning on his heel and walking down the hall. Liam followed, worried about what happened.
"Would you like to fill me in on what's going on?" Liam asked.
"Emma needs a new place to stay." Killian said, stopping before he reached door.
"Kill-"
"Emma can't go. She'll live somewhere else if we let the police decide her fate. I can't lose her, Liam." Killian pleaded, "Liam, please."
"Is it even legal?"
"I think so. I mean, can't you technically move out when you're sixteen? She's seventeen."
"I'll talk to the officer and see what I can do, okay?" Liam asked, walking into the room with Killian following close behind.
Liam spoke with the police outside the room, and Killian stayed with Emma.
"Killian, you've done too much for me." Emma whispered, shifting a little where she was lying on the bed.
"No, I haven't. You've given me everything, and I ought to repay that favor." Killian replied with a smile. Emma simply closed her eyes, a small smile on her lips.
"Killian, I am so glad I met you." She whispered.
"Meeting you meant coming back to life. I'm relieved I met you." Killian replied just as softly, gently stroking her head.
Only a few moments passed before Liam came back into the room, smiling.
"Looks like you're stuck with us, Swan." Liam grinned, causing Emma to sit up and hug Killian tight. He hugged her back with a laugh, finally allowing himself to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Thank you so much." Emma whispered.
"Of course, Emma." Killian whispered, "You know I'd do anything for you."
"I would do anything for you, too." Emma replied, tucking her head into the indent of Killian's neck.
"I don't know how long you must stay here, but I will try and get your room together before you're released, okay?" Killian asked.
"You're sweet. Thank you." Emma spoke softly.
"Of course." Killian replied, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.
Killian was who was best for Emma, whether she wanted to accept it or not. He was the only one who had ever cared this extensively about her. And, though she'd never admit it, that meant the world to her.