The response to this has been amazing, thank you all so much! I will be without internet for a week *sigh* but I promise I will post the next chapter immediately after I get back.

This chapter is more of an emotional response from everyone about Emma. We'll get into the flashbacks and stuff soon to show how it all got here.

Warning: Mentions of attempted suicide and self-harm.

Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT or any of its characters.

Chapter 2

The commotion in the hospital was apparent. Even though it was very early in the morning, everyone was rushing around like they'd had ten cups of coffee in the last hour. Snow and David were still sat waiting. They were shaken and exhausted, but they never stopped hoping.

They'd tried to convince themselves that it wasn't happening. They'd tried to believe that they were in some sort of horrific nightmare. But they weren't waking up. This was real. It was happening.

They'd sat in the hospital for what had been hours, Snow's head resting on David's shoulder, both of them silently crying and feeling as though their worlds had ended.

Suddenly, they heard a sound and saw Henry come running up to them, his face white with fear. "Is she–Is she–?" He couldn't get the rest of it out. His eyes welled up with tears as he looked at his terrified and broken grandparents.

"We don't know," said David, tears running down his cheeks as he embraced his grandson. He let Henry weep in his arms, not knowing if the boy was about to lose one of his mothers.

It had been several hours since David had called Regina. Before Emma and Regina got together Henry simply divided his time between them, staying with each for one week, but when they had begun dating Emma had been round so often that it became pointless. Emma had basically moved in (although it had never been official) and so Henry had been able to stay in one home with both of his mothers around. When they broke up however, Emma had managed to see Henry a little but they hadn't brought back the arrangement yet, meaning that Henry was still at Regina's house.

After David had told her what happened Regina had insisted that she should wait to tell Henry. She wanted to ensure he got some sleep that night, not wanting him to be awoken at 2am with that kind of news. She'd also needed the time to calm herself down. She hadn't gone back to sleep.

Snow looked up and found Regina standing a little away from the trio. She clearly looked distressed and it also looked like she'd been crying. This was too much for Snow. Anger boiled in her veins as she took in the woman who was responsible, who had caused her daughter such anguish.

"You," she thundered, making Regina's head snap up. Walking over to where Regina was standing, Snow completely lost it. "You did this to my daughter," she growled. "How dare you even come here? How dare you? How dare you act like you didn't cause this? You even got dressed!" she scoffed, noting Regina's slacks and white shirt underneath her grey winter coat.

It was petty, Snow knew, but she'd been up for hours and her and David had merely thrown coats over their pyjamas and rushed Emma to the hospital.

Snow hadn't wanted to call Regina. She acknowledged the need for Henry's sake, but she still wanted to rip out her heart right then and there.

"Snow, please," came the voice from her husband. She wheeled around, murder in her eyes. "What?" she snapped. "Do you not know that this is her fault? Do you not see that if it weren't for her, I wouldn't be fearing for my daughter's life at this moment?" The distress and sadness in her voice was obvious. David walked up to her and put an arm on her shoulder.

"I know what you feel, Snow. I feel it too. I just don't think this is the right time to be bickering or blaming anyone. Can we at least wait until we know Emma is safe or not? Please?" Snow saw the hurt in his eyes and reluctantly acquiesced. But not before having the last word, again.

"Regina," she said. "I left you alone. I didn't come after you because Emma needed me. I let you get away with it because my daughter was hurting and I knew by getting angry with you I would hurt her more. But this isn't on me. This one's on you."

Snow abruptly turned around and re-joined David and Henry in their silent waiting.

Regina mumbled something about the bathroom before she left the three of them, hoping they wouldn't notice the tears threatening to fall. Once she got there, finding it thankfully empty, she put her hands down on the sides of the sink and burst into tears, her despair coming out in cascades.

"Emma, my darling," she choked between sobs. "Please don't leave me. I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry." And with that, she slid down the nearest wall, put her head in her hands and wept.

It was a long time before they got any more information. It was strange how long it was taking; surely Emma would be out of danger by now? Snow had tried to ask various nurses but they'd just evaded her questions and run off.

None of them knew if Emma was going to make it. None of them knew if their worlds would end that day. Regina returned to sit near them but resorted to sitting against a wall nearby so they wouldn't see her tears and also so she wouldn't see Snow's threatening looks.

Eventually, Whale came out into the corridor some time later and approached the three, glancing at Regina whom he knew was listening. He cleared his throat to get their attention, but he didn't really need to as all four heads snapped up at his approach.

Snow stood up and went towards him, her eyes filled with tears. "Is she-Is she ok?" was all she could muster, before the hot tears began sliding down her cheeks. "What took so long? Why haven't we been told anything? Surely it didn't take this long? I don't understand! Is she ok?" Whale interrupted her barrage of questions before she broke down completely.

"She's alive," he said with a grimace.

"What exactly are you saying?" asked David.

"Well, she will live, and in time hopefully make a full recovery. But," he warned, before they all became too joyous, "She is damaged."

"Wha-what do you mean?" asked Snow, a deep sadness in her voice, struggling to keep standing under the weight of this information.

"Well," said Whale hesitantly, "she's physically fine. But…we had to sedate her. She woke up briefly and well, it wasn't pretty."

All four of them looked at him, confused. He sighed. "I didn't want to tell you this, but let's just say she's not to be let anywhere near anything sharp for a good long while. She tried to grab a scalpel when she realised what was happening. We had to sedate her; she's a danger to herself."

Henry gasped and tears started to run down his face. David rounded on Whale. "You couldn't have not said that right in front of him? Seriously? The boy is thirteen. He doesn't need that kind of stress."

Whale wasn't fazed by David's anger. "I'm telling it like it is. If you don't want to hear the truth, then you can leave. Can I continue?" David shot him a dirty look, but nodded.

"Emma is likely to need severe therapy. Someone trying to take their own lives isn't a joke. It's serious. Really serious. Emma is deeply troubled, and it is likely she will be mentally troubled for a long time. I do not want to scare you, but she may not be the same person you knew before."

Ignoring the attempted interruptions that immediately came forth, Whale pressed on. "I want to be clear. I know you will blame a certain person for all this," he glanced at Regina, "but this problem runs deeper. The relationship ending no doubt spiralled Emma out of control, and it seems as though all of Emma's problems have come rushing to the forefront. All of the pain she has ever felt is in her mind right now. And that's a hell of a lot. You need to prepare yourselves, and try not to blame each other. This needs to be about Emma, do you hear me?"

Whale finished his speech, making sure to get all four nods before he seemed satisfied. With a final sad sigh, he made to leave them. "You will need to be strong for her."

With that, he turned and was about to walk away when Henry called out. "When can we see her?" His voice sounded so scared and small that Whale took pity on him. He turned back with sympathy in his eyes.

"Not tonight, I'm afraid. She needs rest and she is…not fit to be seen right now. I will let you know when you can see her. For now though, I suggest you all go home and rest. It's been a long night." He walked away.

"I guess we should go home for a while," said David gently. Snow nodded. "Okay, but we're taking Henry. I will not leave him with her," she spat, looking at Regina. "Not for tonight."

To her surprise, Regina didn't even argue. She merely gave a weak sort of nod then turned curtly and walked out.

Regina pulled up to her house. She walked shakily up the path to her front door and opened it. She was barely across the threshold when she fell to her knees and broke into heart-wrenching sobs, crying out Emma's name in agony.