A/N: Apologies for how long this has taken. I've been very busy lately, and then I got sick with a cold. I had the first third of this chapter written a few weeks ago, but disliked it greatly, and had to sit down to rework it. I don't have any particular plans for this one, just some general plans, so if there is something you'd like to see, feel free to say so via review or PM.

Emma felt herself starting to drift off. Three and a half hours in a cramped waiting room on practically no sleep would do it every single time. It was just as her eyes fluttered close for about the fifth time that she felt a soft tap on her shoulder. In the brief moment that her eyes had been closed she saw remnants of the nightmare that she had left behind. The tap on her shoulder jolted her awake quickly, and she forced her mouth clamped shut, biting her tongue until she tasted blood, to keep from screaming out.

"Miss Swan." Dr. Whale started, and Emma fought the urge to roll her eyes. Formality, she hated it with a passion. Using the prefix was only right in certain circumstances. If you didn't know the person you were talking to, which wasn't correct in this situation, or if you were about to administer bad news.

"Do I want to know? Just … is he alive?"

Dr. Whale knelt down in front of her chair. A kind, soft smile on his face, and Emma cringed. That was not the doctor that she knew. He was a creepy, pervert with a temper, not kind … caring. Emma shuddered, before meeting his eyes. He had important information that she needed.

"Graham is indeed alive, Miss Swan."

Emma didn't fight as hard this time, and allowed her eyes to roll, showing her annoyance. "It's Emma, Dr. Whale."

He nodded, "Okay, Emma. Graham is alive, which is the positive that we need to focus on." Emma stiffened, she definitely didn't like the sound of that. "Emma, Graham's infection was far worse than we originally thought it was. Now, before I continue, know that none of this is you or his..." Dr. Whale paused, jabbing his thumb at Nikolai, "fault. You both did everything you could to prevent infection, but you simply didn't have the correct equipment. The infection started well before he presented with a temperature. That actually is one of the more serious signs of infection and once it reaches that stage ..."

"Just get on with it, please." Emma begged.

"The infection entered Graham's bloodstream before you were able to get the healing herbs into him. We had to take precautions before we could even preform surgery on his shoulder. We gave him a couple of blood transfusions, which seems to be helping filter out the remaining infection, that's the good thing. His temperature is dropping slowly back into a normal range. We were able to repair the damage done to his shoulder. Ultimately, I believe that Graham will make a full recovery, it's just going to take some time to get him there."

Emma nodded, "What do we need to do to help him."

Dr. Whale rocked back on his heels before pulling himself up to his full height. He took the open seat next to Emma. "Well, we're going to be keep him for a few days, maybe a week to ensure that the infection is indeed gone and that his temperature stays normal once it gets back down there. Once we release him, he'll need someone to stay with him to help him out. He'll have some restrictions to ensure that his shoulder heals correctly. He had some superficial tissue damage and some intense muscle damage to his shoulder. After three or four weeks, we'll get him set up with some physical therapy."

"Okay, no worries there. Nikolai will need a place to stay anyway, so they can just room together until Graham is back on his feet."

Dr. Whale nodded, "Okay. I have other patients to check in on. If you have any questions or concerns you know how to get a hold of me."

Emma stood up suddenly, regretting the sudden movement once Nikolai grunted. She had almost forgotten that Graham's brother had been leaning against her after he had fallen asleep. His grunt had woken up the rest of her family, all looking at her with bleary and tired eyes. She held up a finger, before turning back to Dr. Whale.

"Can I see him?" She whispered.

He nodded, a smile on his face. "I'll have a nurse come by with the information. She'll also have some instructions for treatment that Graham will need once he's released. Mainly the cleaning and re-bandaging of his wound."

Emma's face puckered, "Great."

Dr. Whale chuckled before turning away from Emma. After a brief moment Emma turned around and groaned. Four anxious faces stared up at her, and she suddenly realized that it was her job to rely all of Dr. Whale's information to her family.

Nikolai peered at the remaining three people in the waiting room. Emma had pulled him aside, and rushed through the information she had received on Graham, before being rushed off by a nurse. He swallowed thickly, swiping a hand over his beard covered face. Before Regina had enacted the curse, Nikolai had never had the chance to meet Prince James or Queen Snow White. There had never been an opportunity, but from what he was slowly starting to learn, Emma was descended from royalty, though that was a no brainier, and his brother had saved the entire royal family.

"Nikolai, correct?" Snow asked, as she took a tentative step forward.

Snow gazed at the younger man's face softly. It was a look she had seen before. It was a look she had seen on Graham and Emma's faces before. That of a caged animal looking for a way out. She had begrudgingly accepted that Emma still wasn't quite ready to talk to either her or James, and Snow was willing to give Emma the time and space she so obviously needed. However, she needed someone to talk to her. Someone that had been there. That had witnessed what had happened. She and James needed answers that only three people could give her, and at this time, only one of those people were in any place to give her those answers.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Snow shook her head. "No, Nikolai. Please. Call me Snow. You helped my daughter. You made sure that she was safe. That has warranted you an honorary place in our small family."

Nikolai nodded, "Thank you. It's unnecessary though. I couldn't have just stood by and not helped. That's my brother in there." Nikolai's lips puckered out. "I didn't even know I had a brother. How is that? How does someone live an entire life without knowing they have a brother?"

This time James stood up and walked forward. "Hello, Nikolai. Do you remember me?"

Nikolai nodded, "Hello, Prince James."

James shook his head. "Far too formal, Nikolai. To answer your question though, I lived my life without knowing that I had a twin brother. My parents struck a deal with Rumpelstiltskin to save our farm."

"He received your brother?"

James nodded his head, "Yes. He went to King George, and went on to become Prince James."

Nikolai's eyes widened slightly, "I'm confused sir."

James smiled, "He was killed preparing to battle a dragon. So, I made a new deal with Rumpelstiltskin to save our farm, and I assumed his identity as son to King George."

Nikolai's eyebrow raised, "So then you aren't truly royalty?"

James shrugged his shoulders. "Me? No, I suppose I'm not truly a royal, but Snow is. She was always set to take the throne when her mother died. She was always set to become Queen Snow. She was just a little more stubborn, took a little side journey. I suppose that makes me royalty via marriage."

Nikolai nodded, though still confused. "If your not Prince James then, sir, what is your name? If you don't mind me asking."

James shook his head, "That's quite fine, Nikolai." James said, before extending his hand, "It's David."

Nikolai smiled softly, before accepting the handshake. "That name does seem to fit you better, sir. If you don't mind me saying."

James chuckled, "Not at all, Nikolai. Not at all. If you don't mind me prying, would you mind explaining what went over there?"

Nikolai sighed, as he moved past the two worried parents and sat down. With his head in his hands, he peered up at them, "I probably shouldn't say much. It's really Emma or Graham's place to tell most of the story. What I can tell you is that my brother loves your daughter very much. That he would risk his own life to ensure her safety. I've seen it. Just … give her sometime. From what I was able to gather, she is still having an issue with accepting everything. That and a lot of stuff happened over there. Some of it was great and some of it was horrible and horrific. There are things that I saw over there that I will never be able to get out of my head. Things that will haunt me for the rest of my life. She just needs time. At the very least, wait until Graham is out of the woods, maybe he will tell you himself then."

They both nodded, before Henry stood up, making himself known for the first time, and climbing into an open chair beside Nikolai. "Is Graham going to be okay? Because I don't think that my mom could take him dying again. I don't think I could either. I really like Graham."

Nikolai smiled softly, "Graham should be fine. Emma said he has to stay in the hospital for a little bit, but if all goes well, he can go home sometime later on in the week."

Emma inched into the small hospital room. A hand clasped over her mouth as she took in the room. Graham lay still on a bed in the middle of the room. Various wires were connecting him to various different machines. Though his skin was generally dark with a thick tan, it had became very pale. It was wrong. All wrong. Nothing about what she was seeing was familiar. She missed that goofy smile that would cross his lips when she'd call him out on his dorky dad jokes. The vibrations that filtered straight down to her bones when he'd laugh. The feel of his rough calloused hands squeezing against hers. Most importantly though, she missed that bright, vibrant blue eyes that held every feeling inside of him.

She shook her head, as she continued to walk into the room. It hadn't even been a full day. Though to be fair, it had been a while since she had seen him smile or heard him laugh. The fear that she might not get a chance to see or hear any of that ever again, pained her. She knew that she couldn't think that way though. Dr. Whale had assured her that he would fully recover from this.

Sighing, she sat down beside his bed and bit her lip. She wouldn't cry. Crying wouldn't help anyone, and it would only stem to piss her off. She hated crying. Instead, she grabbed his limp hand in her own, and relished in the warmth that radiated from it.

"Graham." She whispered. "You have to be alright. You have to make it through all of this, and come out the other side. I need you to stay here with me. I cannot lose you again. It nearly killed me the first time. I was in so much pain, Graham. It hurt so badly to know that you were gone, even if I did barely know you. It was like there was something that pierced my heart the moment I realized I'd never get the chance to know you better. To figure out what your favorite food was, your favorite color, or what you liked to do on the weekends. Now, though, Graham … we've been given a second chance, and I swear to you, Graham, I'm not going to let anything come between us. Nothing will stop me from finding out the answers to all those questions, and so many more. Nothing will stop me from loving you the way that you so deserve. So, please, Graham … please, just wake up. Wake up, flash me that gorgeous lop-sided smile. Whisper my name with that thick Irish accent, and make my knees buckle, because you are the only man that has ever caused my walls to crash down so quickly."

She waited a moment, hope crossing her features for a brief moment. When nothing happened, she sighed, leaning forward. Her head laying against his arm. She'd sit there until kingdom come if she had to. "I love you, Graham." She whispered, her eyes growing heavy as the exhaustion hit her for the second time that day. Slowly, she gave in and let her eyes slip close.