Hey guys! Sorry this one took a little longer than anticipated. It was a heavy one to write and I wanted to make sure it turned out well. I'm really excited for you guys to read it, so please please let me know what you think! Your reviews make my day!
"David?"
David's hand curls tighter around his phone. His heart stops momentarily and then speeds up double time, relief and fear flowing through him.
All it takes is one word and he knows she needs him. Her voice is weak and broken, and from what he can tell, it sounds like she's been crying.
His mind jumps to the worst, dozens of horrible scenarios flying through his head.
"Emma?" He breathes. "Where are you? We've been worried sick!"
Mary Margaret's head whips up and before David can even blink, she's on her feet standing next to him, eyes wide with worry.
He hears a soft sob on the other line.
"Em, talk to me." He softly replies, trying to get her to calm down.
"I-" She pauses momentarily, taking a shaky breath, "can you come get me?"
His whole body relaxes with relief. Somewhere inside him, he had been afraid she wouldn't want to see them. He knew Emma better than anyone, and what happened with Killian was the kind of thing that should have sent her running for the hills. He turned his back for two seconds that night to talk with Killian and she vanished and he blamed himself. She should have been his first priority, but his anger at Killian had taken precedence, and he lost her. He put on a brave face for everyone, trying to convince them all, trying to convince himself, that she would come back on her own.
He hadn't believed she would.
But she was calling him.
She wanted him to come get her.
She wanted to come home.
"Of course I'll come get you." He replies, noting the tension leave Mary Margret's shoulders as her panic fades, knowing Emma is coming back to them.
"Just tell me where you are." He continues.
There's a pause as Emma releases a series of harsh coughs.
Her voice is still shaken when she responds, "I - I don't really k-know where I am. I'm in an alleyway, in the next t-town over and I'm so cold, and so tired."
David takes a sharp breath, "You're in an alleyway? Outside? In this storm?"
Mary Margaret's hand goes over her mouth, eyes wide again, the mother bear in her coming out at full force.
David gets no response from Emma, and realizes she is probably embarrassed about it.
He takes a deep breath, trying to quell is internal panic and be rational, "How long have you been out there?"
"A few days," She mumbles.
"A few days?!" He shouts.
Mary Margaret gasps and yanks the phone away from David, clearly done playing second fiddle in this conversation, and puts it on speaker.
"Emma Swan tell us where you are right now!" She demands.
A sniffle comes through the receiver, "In an alleyway between a diner and an apartment building in the next town over."
David and Mary Margaret immediately begin running around the house collecting their shoes and coats, David carrying the phone while looking for his keys.
"We need more specifics, what street?"
"I don't know! I can't - I can't move."
"What?!" They screech simultaneously.
"I'm just...really weak...and cold," Her voice begins to fade out.
"Emma? Just stay awake, okay? We're coming."
They're in the car in seconds, peeling out of the driveway.
"I need to go, my phone's about to die." She whispers before the line goes dead.
David tosses the phone to Mary Margaret, "Call Killian, now."
Mary Margaret nods, quickly dialing Killian's number.
"No answer."
David slams his hand against the wheel, "Damn, it! He's probably still in class, leave a voicemail and then try again."
"Killian, it's Mary Margaret. We just got a call from Emma asking us to come pick her up. We're not really sure whats going on but something's wrong. She's been in this alleyway for god knows how long and she was really weak. You should get back here immediately."
She hangs up and dials again.
"Still no answer."
"Then text him. If he's in class it's the only thing he will be able to check. Say, '911 Emma'" David instructs, "He'll leave class."
Mary Margaret just nods before sending the text.
"Should I call everyone else?"
David shakes his head. "Let's find her first and assess the situation. Then we can call."
Fifteen minutes later they've reached the neighboring town but can't seem to find a diner anywhere.
"This is taking more time than we have!" Mary Margaret complains. "Pull over, asking someone will be faster."
David reluctantly agrees before pulling up to the curb. Mary Margaret is out of the car in seconds, running up to the first person she sees.
She politely asks for directions to the nearest diner before she is back in the car again, directing David.
Luckily, it's a small town similar to Storybrooke, and they reach the diner in just a few short minutes, pulling up sharply to the curb.
They peer out the windows, through the flying snow, but only see a large bundle in the alleyway.
"That's not her, is it?" Mary Margaret asks.
David wants to say no, as the bundle is clearly a mans jacket, but underneath the hat and poking out of the jacket are stray pieces of golden hair that he would know anywhere.
He throws a quick, 'It's her', at Mary Margaret as he throws open his door, and bolts out of the car, running through the blizzard towards the bundle on the ground with Mary Margaret on his heels.
He realizes she is laying on her side as he reaches her and he bends down on his knees, putting a hand on her shoulder.
She's passed out.
He gives her a little shake, "Emma?"
She doesn't respond but he hears Mary Margaret gasp, "David, her face…"
It's just then that David notices the large black eye and split lip that mar her face. She's paler than a ghost and her lips are blue. He places a gentle hand on her face, not surprised by how cold it feels.
Anger boils in his chest. He was going to kill the bastard that did this to his best friend.
Just then her eyelids flutter and she looks up at her savior.
"David?"
Her voice is so quiet he can hardly hear her, but he nods and rubs his thumb over her cheek.
"I'm here Ems. Don't worry, we're going to get you home."
He slides his arms under her and lifts her up, carrying her towards the car.
Mary Margaret rushes ahead of him, opening the back door and climbing inside, holding her arms out for Emma.
"I'll sit back here with her."
David gently slides Emma into the back seat so that her head rests on Mary Margaret's lap before climbing into to front. He immediately starts the car and cranks the heat up as high as it will go. With as cold as she is now it won't do much, but it will certainly help.
Mary Margaret combs her fingers through her best friend's hair, looking down at her beaten face.
"What the hell happened to her, David?" She whispers.
David's jaw clenches, "I have a theory," He growls out.
Mary Margaret knows what he's talking about.
Phil.
She realizes there is no other explanation. Phil did this to her.
She's furious. Furious at Emma's parents for abandoning their child on the side of a road, furious at the system for letting her fall through the cracks, furious at them for putting her in that home with that monster, furious at the monster himself, and furious with herself.
She knew what was going on, they all did.
They knew Emma was being hurt but they didn't say anything or do anything about it. Partly because they trusted Emma to take care of it like she always did. Telling them she could handle Phil or that it was no big deal, just a bruise or two.
But a larger part of her had to admit that they hadn't done anything to stop it because the only way to do so would be to report Phil to social services, which meant Emma would most likely be transferred to a new home anywhere in the US. They didn't want that. They didn't want to lose her.
They stood by and let their friend be beaten because they selfishly didn't want to lose her.
And look where it got her. Broken, beaten, and freezing to death alone in an alleyway.
She's disgusted.
"Mary Margaret."
David's voice pulls her out of her thoughts as she looks up at him.
"Call everyone else, we'll need the help."
She grabs the phone and shoots out a group text.
"911. We found Emma but she's hurt. Badly. Meet at David's ASAP."
They're pulling into the driveway five minutes later and the car is barely off before David is out and picking Emma back up, bringing her into the house and laying her on the couch.
"We need to warm her up, get her into a lukewarm bath."
"Shouldn't it be a hot bath?" David asks.
Mary Margaret shakes her head, "No, if it's too hot the dramatic change in temperature could kill her."
David nods, "Okay, let's get these outer layers off and then I'll help you get her upstairs."
They move quickly and work to remove her shoes, gloves, coats, and hat. But the more they take away from her winter clothes, the more damage they uncover.
The first thing they notice is her stomach.
There are harsh red marks where it's clear that two or so of her ribs are broken, but the sickening part is the large purplish red blotch on her stomach.
"Internal bleeding…" Mary Margaret whispers.
David looks at her, his eyes panicked. "How do you know?!"
Mary Margaret shrugs, "Grey's Anatomy?"
David continues to work and removes her hat when he suddenly pauses and stares off, as though he is concentrating really hard on something.
"What is it?" Mary Margaret asks.
"There's a gash in the back of her head." He responds.
They stare at each other for a moment, taking in the gravity of the situation before Mary Margaret backs away and shakes her head.
"I think… I think we should take her to the hospital. We aren't equipped to deal with this on our own. She's definitely going to need surgery for that bleeding and stitches for her head."
David nods, "You're right. Tell everyone to meet us at the hospital instead."
He picks up Emma and they get her back in the car, heading towards the hospital.
Mary Margaret pulls out his phone, which is already flashing.
15 missed calls.
38 text messages.
She quickly scrolls through the texts. Most of them are from the group letting her know they are on their way and asking how Emma is. She responds to let them all know to meet at the hospital and they would update them there.
Eight of the calls and nine of the texts however are from Killian.
911? Did you find her?
How bad is it?
I'm leaving class now.
What does that mean she's been in an alleyway?! Is she okay? I'm heading back now.
Give me more details. How badly is she hurt?
David? Mary Margaret? Someone? I need answers now!
Answer your goddamn phones and tell me what's happening to Emma!
Updates? Anything? I'm a half hour away now.
I'm going crazy, someone needs to tell me what's going on!
"Killian's on his way," She tells David before calling Killian back.
He picks up on the second ring.
"David! What's going on? Where's Emma?" Killian shouts.
"No, it's Mary Margaret. We have Emma but... she's in really bad shape, Killian."
She hears his gasp over the receiver, "What does that mean? How bad?"
"Phil he - he got her pretty good this time."
Killian growls, "Bastard!"
"Killian, we..." her voice trails off, and she takes a deep breath, trying desperately to reign her emotions in.
"You what?" He asks, fear and panic filling his voice.
"We found her freezing to death and beaten in an alley."
There's nothing but silence. A dead, painstaking silence as Killian absorbs what Mary Margaret tells him.
"Killian? You-"
"I'll be there in fifteen," He spits out, his voice dark and deadly.
He pauses for a moment before continuing, "Once Emma's out of the woods, I'm going to kill him."
"I know Killian, we all want him to pay for what he's done, but violence isn't the answer here."
"Violence is the only answer. It's the only way he's going to properly pay."
"Emma's going to need you here with her Killian."
"Emma probably won't even be speaking to me after what happened with Milah. The least I can do for her is get revenge."
She's never heard Killian like this before and it scares her. He's never been openly violent or so bloodthirsty… She's worried for him and worried for Emma.
Just then they pull into the ER entrance.
"Killian, just - just don't do anything yet okay? Emma's hurting but she wants you here. We're at the hospital, I-."
"I'm two minutes away." He replies before hanging up.
David's pulling the still unconscious Emma out of the car once more while Mary Margaret moves to the front seat to go park the car.
He's in the door for two seconds before doctors are descending on him, ripping Emma out of his arms and putting her on a gurney.
He begins to explain the situation, not even noticing as Killian comes in from the other entrance, running up to Emma's gurney but stopping once her gets close enough to see her injuries, the shock halting him.
He hasn't seen her in days. For days he's been worrying and wondering where she was. Missing her, picturing her face, and desperately trying a way to make up for what happened with Milah.
But now, now he finally sees her, he's finally found her, and instead of feeling relief and happiness, he feels horror and heartbreak.
Her eye is black and bruised, her lip is split. The doctors have pulled up her shirt enough for him to see the purple mark that covers her stomach and marks over her ribs. She's pale. Too pale. And the golden waterfall of hair he loved so much looks as lifeless as could be. The doctor's words float over to him.
"Possible pneumonia."
"Hypothermic."
"Internal bleeding."
And then his feet are moving.
He closes the distance between himself and the woman he loves, his heart in a panic.
One of his hands goes to her forehead, fingers threading into her hair, and the other to grab her hand. Her cold skin shocks him.
"Emma?" He whispers.
She doesn't stir at all and he's never felt so scared in his life. "Emma! Come on, wake up!"
One of the doctors grabs his shoulder trying to pull him away, but he jerks it off.
"Sir you need to move!"
He ignores them, too focused on the beautiful girl, dying in front of him.
"Emma! Please, please, wake up! I need you okay? I won't make it - "
"Sir! We have to get her into surgery. Now!"
Suddenly, he's being grabbed in every direction and pulled away from the gurney, away from her.
"No!" He shouts, fighting his restraints.
One of the arms grabbing him speaks, "Killian, come on man don't do this. They need to do their jobs. You can't help her."
August he realizes.
He turns and notes Jefferson belongs to the other pair of arms holding him back.
Emma is gone now, whisked away to surgery, leaving him behind.
The fight seeps out of him and he allows his friends to drag him to the waiting room and into a chair.
Everyone's here. Regina, Robin, Ruby, Jefferson, August, and Graham (groan), along with David and Mary Margaret of course.
No one's talking. He assumes Mary Margaret filled them all in, or they witnessed the doctor's assessment as well.
The silence and tension in the room are deafening as everyone sits waiting for any kind of news and praying for a miracle.
Praying for Emma Swan to live.
It was all his fault.
And then he's crying, and someone is rubbing his back and he's transported back to New Year's Eve when he was in this position, crying over his mistakes as they all comforted him, and Emma was somewhere in the house, leaving without their knowledge. Leaving to go to her foster home and get away from him. Only to get severely beaten and tossed out on the streets to die.
The night he ruined everything.
The night he ruined Emma Swan.
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