I made it back from NYC only to dive head first into school, homework, work, running a journal on campus, and doing another internship... Things are really rough right now, and this chapter was such a struggle to get through. But I'm back at it and like I said, I will not leave this story unfinished! I'm almost done with the next chapter and if you review, I'll post it tomorrow before the new episode of Once!

Enjoy, and thanks for sticking with me and my unreliable schedule!

Waking up from her unconscious state had been anything but pleasant for Emma. Every once of her body was currently throbbing in pain. She still felt lightheaded and dazed from the combination of her head wound and the anesthesia she was given for her surgery, while her incision made her feel as though her abdomen had been stabbed, which in a way, it had.

She was alive, but that was pretty much all she could say for certain.

She had hazy memories of lying in an alleyway and calling David, but nothing after that makes sense. If she focused hard enough, she could almost recall the faint sound of Killian's voice, distressed and scared, hovering over her body, which was impossible since he had returned to school.

Every ten minutes, a nurse would come in offering more pain medication, but Emma would quickly shoot her down each time. She couldn't even fathom how much money she already owed the hospital for her surgery, let alone how much medication would cost. She was used to pain, but money was uncharted territory. As a foster kid, she had become accustomed to swiping things here or there when she needed something, she didn't have much in the way of savings.

Nothing, to be more exact. No savings, no belongings, no home.

Where would she go from here? How would she pay her medical bills? Obviously she would not be returned to her old foster home, but be placed in a new one. Did that mean she was going to move away, to god knows where, away from her friends?

The whole reason she found the strength to go on in the alley, was so that she could go home. Home to Ruth and David and maybe even Killian. What was the point if social services just took her -

"Emma?"

A soft voice pulled her out of her internal panic and her eyes darted towards the doorway, unable to lift her head.

"Ruth said you were asking for me?"

Emma wasn't sure what to say, or why she had made this particular request, but when Ruth had asked if there was anyone she wanted to see, her heart told her this was right.

Mary Margaret gave her a soft smile, "You okay?"

"The doctors say I'll live so … yeah, sure."

Mary Margaret moved from the doorway and sat down in the chair at Emma's bedside, reaching forward to grab her hand.

"It's okay to not be okay, Emma. You've been through alot in the last week with that Milah girl showing up, your foster dad, and the whole alleyway thing -"

"Yeah, got it." Her voice came out sharper than she had intended, but she really hadn't needed Mary Margaret laying out all the pain she had suffered recently right out on the table. Plus, she definitely hadn't expected her to throw out that girl's name so casually as though it wouldn't send a shot of agony through her.

Mary Margaret quickly realized her mistake, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."

"It's fine."

There was a moment of awkward silence where neither one of them was really sure what they were supposed to say. So much had happened in the last few days, they had no idea where they supposed to start. Emma wondered if she should apologize for running away or if Mary Margaret should apologize for comforting Killian after what he done instead of going up to check on her. Who was in the wrong here?

Mary Margaret recovered first, looking slightly hesitant before speaking, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why did you ask for me?"

Emma was a little taken aback, she hadn't expected her to ask. She also didn't know what to tell her when she wasn't sure of the reason herself.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you did, and I'm always here for you if you need me but… David is the one you turn to, and Killian is the one you're in love with, and you don't really seem to want to talk-"

Emma shot up, causing her abdomen to scream. She clutched the wound momentarily as she laid back down, her mind racing.

"Woah, woah, woah! I am not - we're not - Killian and I aren't in love. He cheated on me - or her - or both of us, and lied to me from the start. You all may think it's important to comfort him and tell him what he did was fine, but I'm the one who was made a fool of and -"

Mary Margaret's eyes wide as she flinched backward, unprepared for Emma's freak out. She squeezed Emma's hand tighter, attempting to calm her.

"Oh Emma," she sighed, "is that why you left?"

Emma shrugged, "I get it, you guys have been a family for years. I only just shoved my way into your lives a few months ago. Obviously you would choose him, I understand."

Mary Margaret frantically shook her head, "Emma, we didn't choose Killian. I know it looked that way but I swear to you this whole thing is a big misunderstanding. It's Killian's story to tell you, but I promise, you are just as important to us as he is!"

"I know you're trying to make me feel better -"

"No Emma. This isn't just me being nice. Do you have any idea how worried we all were? Killian was refusing to leave for school and we were all running around town looking for you. We didn't do those things to be nice, we did them because we care about you."

Emma's eyes were wide and confused, signaling Mary Margret to continue.

"There are tons of people out in that waiting room right now worried sick. Regina has been verbally abusing the nurses, Graham and Killian got in a fight, and David has been inconsolable."

Emma shook her head in disbelief, "Woah, wait. Killian and Graham got into a fight?"

Mary Margaret sighed, "is that really all you got from that?"

"Right. Sorry." She gave her friend an apologetic smile, "Really, I'm so sorry for what I put you through."

"What are we going to do with you?" She chuckled.

Emma scooted to the middle of the bed and patted the side to her right, "Love me?"

Her friend laid down in the bed next to her and laid her head on Emma's shoulder as Emma wrapped an arm around her.

"You want to know why I asked for you, even though I love David more than anything?" Emma whispered after a while.

She felt Mary Margaret nod.

"Because David is Killian's brother and I wasn't sure where he stood in the wreckage of Killian and I's relationship, and I…"

She paused, taking in a deep breath, "I just wanted to see my sister."

Mary Margaret smiled, "Love you too."

They laid like that for a long time, until Emma was sure Mary Margaret had fallen asleep. She felt guilty, knowing she probably exhausted after how long they had been awake waiting for news.

"Mind if I come in?"

Emma looked up to see David standing in the doorway, looking lovingly at his two favorite women. Emma smiled and raised her other arm, gesturing for David to come join them.

"That's a tight squeeze." He smiled.

Emma laughed, "Then suck in your belly fat."

He glared at her jokingly, "Watch it, Swan."

He climbed in on the other side of Emma, also laying his head on her empty shoulder. It really was a tight squeeze, and if Mary Margaret hadn't been such a small girl, Emma was sure they wouldn't have fit. She did notice half of David's body was hanging off the bed though, causing her to chuckle.

"I'm really glad you're okay, Ems. For a minute there, I thought we were going to loose you and I - I had no idea what I was going to do if we did."

"David -" She sighed.

"No, listen. I know what happened with Killian sucks, and even if he has a decent explanation, you didn't deserve what happened. And even if you two don't work out, you are still my best friend. You're stuck with me for life and you can't run away from that cause I'll find you. I'll always find you."

Emma rolled her eyes, "Okay, Prince Charming."

"I'm serious."

"I know, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have run away, but I promise, I'll never run again. You gave me a home, a family, and a place to belong. I love you, David."

"Love you too, Emzy."

There was a moment of silence before Emma jumped back in, "So… Killian and Graham got in a fight?"

David lifted his head from her shoulders, looking up at her, "How did you hear about that?"

"Your girlfriend is kind of a gossip."

David laughed, "She's really cute though."

Emma elbowed his side, "I'm kidding, she just told me it happened, she didn't give me any of the juicy details."

"Ah, so that's what you want from me, huh? All the juicy details? Want to hear about all the men fighting over you?"

"What?" Emma stared down at David in shock. "They were fighting over me?"

David shrugged, "I guess so."

Emma's eyebrows scrunched together, "How do you not know? Weren't you in the waiting room with them when it happened?"

"Yeah but, I mean, I can't really tell you exactly what was said because I was so worried about you that I kind of blocked everything out, and -"

"David," Emma grumbled, "get to the point please."

"All I heard was that Graham blamed Killian for what happened to you, while Killian was pissed Graham was still trying to go after you."

Emma scoffed, "That's ridiculous! Killian isn't responsible for what happened, and he has no right to care about what happens between me and Graham."

David gave her a suggestive look, "So there is something going on between you and Graham?"

"What? No! I'm just saying is no longer any of Killian's business."

"Now if only you believed that." David sighed, "Look, I'm not saying Killian is blameless, but give him a chance to explain before you cut him out completely."

Emam chose to ignore David's comment and move onto a different topic.

"Was it just a verbal fight?"

David's silence told her everything.

"Who threw the first punch?"

She looked down at David who looked like he really didn't want to answer the next question. Damn, what had Graham really say to piss off Killian so much?

"Killian broke his nose."

Emma took a deep breath, "and Graham?"

"He only nicked Killian's jaw."

"I'm going to kill them both." She swore.

David laughed humorlessly, "No need, mom got them both pretty good."

Emma simply nodded, but her mind was racing. Why the hell would they be fighting over her? What right did Killian have to be fighting with Graham? Killian was fooling around with at least two women, how dare he attack Graham simply because Graham was worried about her?

No… she was pissed at Killian for the Milah thing and attacking Graham, but she also knew that deep down, it really hadn't all been a lie. He was a jackass, no doubt, but she knew he had real feelings for her. She thought back to the vague memories of Killian panicking over her. She could see how in his worry, knowing she was angry with him before this all happened, and Graham yelling in his ear, the jealousy and frustration could have caused him to snap. That didn't make it right, but she understood it.

Still, Killian Jones was a far cry away from being forgiven, and even if she could forgive him, surely she could never learn to trust him again. Not the way she would need to in order to be with him.

"I'm tired," she admitted, no longer wanting to talk or even think about her boy drama anymore.

"David?" She asked after getting no response. She looked down at him and was greeted with closed eyes and a soft snore. The big dork had gone and fallen asleep on her.

She looked over at her other friend, who was still soundly asleep.

What a pair those two made.

Still, they were her big dorks and laying here with them, she was finally back where she was supposed to be.

She smiled and closed her eyes, reveling in the feeling of finally being home.

Ruth looked in at the sleeping trio and smiled.

"Tell the gang she's resting and they should do the same. It's been a long day for everyone. Let's all go get some sleep and they can

see her in a few days when she's feeling better. She doesn't need crowds right now."

Killian frowned, not taking his eyes off the blonde who was resting soundly, cuddled in between her two best friends, a soft smile on her features.

"I really wanted to talk to her, or even just sit with her for a bit."

"No dice." Ruth replied, "You can come tomorrow. She doesn't need the drama at the moment."

Killian nodded, knowing his mom was right. He didn't want to cause Emma any more pain, especially when she was already hurting.

But still, he was dying to hear her voice and look into those stunning emerald eyes.

"What if… what if she never forgives me mom?"

"Have some faith, Killy. It will all work out as it's meant to."

Looking in at the woman who had stolen his heart so completely, he couldn't help but be sure his mom was right again. He couldn't live without Emma in his life anymore. He would do whatever it took to earn her trust and love back.

A man who doesn't fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets.

He would never stop fighting for Emma Swan.

If this gets enough reviews, I'll give you the Emma and Killian reunion tomorrow! Promise!