This is a shorter filler chapter because honestly, I'm stuck on where to go with this story. Any suggestions are welcomed!
Chapter 7
"I think that's finally the last of it." Mal said as she put down a box. "Who knew we had so much stuff."
"Too much stuff." Squawked Jake from the corner.
"Well at least the office is all set to go." Emma chuckled as she finished with Jake's cage. "And he's all set. Mal, he can be in the living room."
"Maybe I'll let him out from time to time, but he'll be much happier here. I can have the door closed and he can have the whole room." She looked over. "Emma, are you sure Zelena's okay bringing the furniture?"
"Yes. She said she just got a new living room set and we brought the dining table and chairs."
"Okay cool. And she's taking the third room?"
Emma chuckled. "Yes. I keep telling her we can just stay in the same room, but I get it. She wants to kinda date and stuff first. It makes sense. I know I'm rushing things I just…" Emma got quiet and shook her head.
"You what, Ems?" Mal asked softly.
"I just want to have as much time with her as I can while I can. Nothing lasts for me, Mal, and this isn't any different. I want to be with her before she's gone."
Mal sighed and went to Emma, putting her hands on Emma's shoulders. "Cora is gone, Emma. She's gone. She can't get at you anymore. She can't get at Zelena anymore. You're free from her, from drinking, and you're in therapy. Emma, it's good. It's all good."
"Yeah, I know Mal." Emma said, pulling away. "And nothing good lasts."
Mal sighed. "It will this time. I see what you two have and I know it's not going to change. Yes, you'll have arguments like any couple, but it's nothing like before, Ems."
"I keep trying to tell myself that. It just…this means so much to me and I don't want it to go wrong."
"If you worry too much, it will. Just let it go naturally." Mal said and looked out the window. "She's here."
The two went out to help Regina and Zelena unload everything and then the four spent the next few hours setting things up. They then decided to go out to dinner.
"I'm jealous. You all move out of my place and move in with each other. Now I'm all alone." Regina playfully pouted.
"Okay, but think about this, now you have three more people to hang out with when you're bored." Zelena chuckled. "And I'll be over to visit. I just couldn't stay there, Regina. There's too many memories."
Regina smiled softly. "I understand. I do. I was teasing and yes, I've got three more people for me to pester when I'm needy." She chuckled. "Actually, it's perfect timing." She said with a smile. "Graham and I are expecting in about five more months."
"What?! Regina wow! Congratulations! Why didn't you say anything before?" Emma asked.
"Well, I've had a miscarriage before, so I wanted to make sure this time before we told anyone. Now I'm starting to show, I think it's safe."
Zelena hugged her sister. "I'm so happy for you. I can't wait to be an Auntie."
"Thank you. It seems like the perfect time really. I have my sister back, my best friend back, and a new friend. I'm so glad you all decided to stay."
Mal smiled. "Me too and thank you for including me. Honestly, I feel as if I've always been one of you."
"Good. That's how we want you to feel. You saved our friend and you deserve to feel welcomed."
Emma smiled softly. "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for her."
"Oh stop. I just did what any compassionate person would do. But I'm so glad our paths crossed."
"Well anyway, we'll have to have a baby shower and all that." Emma said and smiled more. "I'm so glad to be here for this."
"I'm so glad you're here! Emma, I've missed you so much and I always knew that when I had a child, I wanted my best friend to be here and to be my child's second Godmother."
"Wait really?" Emma asked, touched. "You still want that?"
"More than anything. You and Zelena will make amazing Godmothers."
Zelena smiled as well. "I'd be honored, Gina."
"Me too! Wow, what an honor."
Regina smiled. "Good. Graham agreed and now I can tell him you've agreed as well."
"Do you know the gender?" Mal asked.
"Nope. I won't until they're born. We decided on neutral colors for the nursery."
"That's great. Oh I can't wait. I…I am sorry mom isn't here for your sake though." Zelena said softly.
Emma put a hand on Regina's. "Me too."
"I'm not." Regina said and smiled, looking between them. "Yes, I'd have liked mom to meet her grandchild, but I'd rather have you two here than her. Especially now that I know what that woman did." She shook her head. "I am glad she won't be able to mess with my child's life like that."
The four enjoyed the rest of their dinner before heading home. Over the next month, Emma fully recovered from the accident, she never missed an AA meeting, and she and Zelena went on many dates. She and Mal kept pretty busy and made enough to hire a secretary to help keep deadlines and appointments in line.
"Hey, Ruby and I are going out tonight. Don't wait up." Mal said with a wink.
Emma chuckled. "Maybe Lena and I will stay in and cuddle in front of the T.V. tonight."
Zelena had just gotten home and sighed. "That sounds wonderful. I'm exhausted. Who knew meeting with a teenage author would be more work than an adult one?"
"Enjoy you two." Mal said before heading out.
Emma smiled softly. "Go take a shower and change and I'll start us dinner." She kissed Zelena and watched her go before going to the kitchen. She already had most of it done and spent the time waiting setting the table and lighting candles.
The two enjoyed dinner and then curled up on the sofa together. "Lena?"
"Yes?"
"Tomorrow is my three months sober. Do you think maybe you could come to the AA meeting with me?"
Zelena kissed Emma softly. "I'm so proud of you. Yes, I'll be there, baby."
"It's been easier than I thought it would be. I think it helps that I don't have her voice in my head all the time now."
Zelena smiled sadly. "I hate that she ever did all that to you, Emma. I always knew you were strong, but I had no idea you were this strong. I'm so glad you fought and didn't let her take you down. I know it was close, but I'm so proud of you."
"Thank you." Emma said softly as she pulled Zelena closer. "I'm just glad I came here. I wasn't going to and I almost turned around a few times. But Mal kept telling me to go through with it and I'm so glad she did."
The next day at her AA meeting, Emma smiled when she saw Zelena, Mal, Regina, Ruby, and Kathryn all there as she stood behind the podium. "My name is Emma and today is my three month soberversary." She said and smiled at the clapping. "It's been a road." She chuckled. "But it's one I'm glad I've been on. One I should have taken a long time ago. I won't take up all the time here, but I do want to thank Zelena, Mal, Kat, Ruby and Regina for all their support through this. I also want to thank all of you for your support and for listening to me every week." She chuckled, looking at the others in the group. "I'm glad I'm not on this road alone. I'd also like to thank Cora." She knew the others would be surprised. "She made me strong enough to do this because I was strong enough to live through what she sent me." She said with a nod. "Anyway, one day at a time." She said with a smile, holding her chip.
After the meeting, the five of them went out for non-alcoholic drinks to celebrate. Emma told the others they could drink, but no one wanted to.
"I'll miss you." Zelena said with a pout. "Both of you. Do you really have to go?"
Emma kissed Zelena. "Yes. I'm sorry, but we do. I told you that you could come with us." Emma and Mal were going to Rhode Island for the week as they heard there were some heavy hitters there.
"I know, but I have a very important meeting tomorrow. Call me, okay?"
"Every day. I love you so much."
"I love you, Ems. Please be careful."
"Always."
Mal and Emma checked into the hotel and right away started looking through statements and maps from people in the area. "Emma, these are two dangerous men. Our best bet is to stay together. I know I usually say we can get both, but I'm going to be happy with one at this point and come back for the other. I have the local police on speed dial."
Emma had never seen Mal so nervous before. "Mal? It'll be okay. We'll be okay. But if you'd rather we pass, we can do that."
"No. Are you kidding? Just one of these guys could give us at least a six month vacation." She chuckled. "So let's do it, but let's be careful."
"Mal! Stay with me! You have to stay with me!" Emma called, fear in her voice as her hands grew wet and sticky over Mal's stomach. She didn't even know what happened because it happened so fast. They had just cuffed their first guy and when they were inches away from catching the second guy, he turned and Mal had a knife in her stomach.
"Stay the fuck away, little girls. I'll find you way before you find me again." He said as he pulled the knife out and left.
"Emma…" Mal said, looking up at her. "I love you." Her voice was quiet, raspy. "Tell Ruby…tell her she's special."
"No. You tell her that, Mal. You're going to tell her that! The ambulance is almost here, just hang on. Please. I…Mal I need you."
Mal lifted a hand to Emma's cheek. "I'll always be with you, Emma." She coughed and blood came out of her mouth.
"Mal, you hang on! You stay with me!"
The ambulance and police came, arresting the one guy and taking Emma's statement as the paramedics worked on Mal. "Is she going to be okay?"
"We're taking her to the hospital. She's lost a lot of blood, but it doesn't look as though he hit any organs."
The officer gave Emma her card. "Call me if you think of anything or if you see the man. Go ahead with the ambulance."
Emma did so and watched as Mal already had more color than before. The second paramedic cleaned Emma up, making sure it was all Mal's blood and that she wasn't bleeding at all. Once at the hospital, Mal was taken and Emma was forced to wait. With shaking hands, she called Zelena.
"Emma. I thought you'd call earlier."
"Mal's been stabbed." Emma let out in a bit of a sob. She told Zelena what happened, trying hard to keep breathing. "I can't lose her, Lena. I can't."
"You won't. I'm on my way. It'll take me a while, but I'll be there, Emma. Please be careful; don't go out by yourself until that other man is caught."
"I'm not coming home until he is. I'm not leading him to you, Lena. Don't come here; I can't risk him hurting you."
"I'm not letting you stay there alone, Emma. I'm coming and I'll see if Ruby wants to come. We'll stay as safe as we can as a group."
"Okay. Okay, yes. Please come." She gave Zelena the address and knew it would be a few hours. She paced for a bit before a nurse came over.
"It's going to be a while, but I wanted you to know, she's doing real well. No organs were hit and we've stopped the bleeding. We just need to make sure she stays stable. We know you're potentially in danger, so we do have a room you can stay in today so you're not just sitting in the waiting room. Is anyone coming to be with you?"
"Yes, but it'll be at least four hours until she's here. I want to be close so if anything happens, I'm here."
"I understand. Come with me, it's not far." She took her to a special room. "This is usually for our on-call doctors, but we have a few free. You can sleep, watch TV, do whatever you want to do, and we'll be right next door. I'll let you know when your company gets here."
"Thank you." Emma said and sighed as the woman left. An officer would be coming later to take her to the hotel to pack up their things, so for now, she had no clean clothes. Mal's blood was on her shirt and she hated it as she sat on the bed, TV on for background noise. She put her head in her hands and cried. They'd never had anything this close before and now she wondered if maybe they should stick to the not so dangerous bail jumpers. She sat in a daze for a few hours before the nurse came back. "Emma? Mal is awake and asking for you."
Emma stood and ran her fingers through her hair. "She's awake?"
"Yes. Come and I'll take you to her."
Emma followed and let out a gasp when she saw Mal. She had color and looked much better than she had before. "I thought I was going to lose you." Emma said as she went to the bed and carefully hugged her. "Don't you ever fucking scare me like that again."
Mal chuckled softly and then winced from doing so. "If I'm honest, I thought it was the end as well. But Ems, you'd be okay. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I'm here."
Emma sat in the chair, holding Mal's hand. "Zelena and Ruby are coming. I told her not to, but Lena insists she be here with me. I'm scared that Tuck is going to come after them though."
Mal sighed. "Emma, Tuck is long gone by now. That threat was just to scare us. He would be stupid to stick around with everyone looking for him. As long as you three don't go after him, you're safe." She gave Emma a look. "Don't you dare go after him, Emma."
Emma took a few breaths. "He tried to kill you."
"Yes, so going after him is just stupid. Emma, promise me."
Emma shook her head. "I can't."
"Emma Marie Swan, you promise me you won't go after him." Mal said so sternly her heart rate went up.
"Fine, fine. I won't, just calm down and relax. I don't need to get kicked out because you're getting all pissy." She said with a bit of a chuckle.
Mal couldn't stop her smile. "Good. Thank you."
"Excuse me, but there's a Zelena and Ruby here. May I send them in?"
"Yes, please." Mal said.
The two came in, Zelena going to Emma and holding her close while Ruby went to Mal and started fussing over her. "I'm fine, Lena. This isn't my blood. I just haven't been able to get other clothes."
"Ruby, I'm okay. I thought…but I made it." Mal said softly.
After a bit, the doctor came in. "Okay ladies, I'm very sorry but Mal needs some rest. There are some officers here to take you to a hotel very close by. Come back in a few hours after she's rested."
Though they didn't want to, they did leave and followed the unmarked cop car to a hotel that really was right down the road. Emma was then taken to their old hotel to pack and came back. The first thing she did was shower and change before she finally told the two the full story.
"She told me to tell you she loves you." Emma said softly to Ruby.
Ruby wiped her eyes. "I love her, too. I do. I knew that before today, but I especially know it now. Thank you for taking care of her Emma. If you hadn't stopped the bleeding…who knows what could have happened."
"You don't have to thank me; it's what she and I do for each other. We've never been in a situation this dangerous, but we always watch out for each other." She finished brushing her hair. "I want to find the asshole, but I promised Mal I wouldn't."
"Well I didn't promise that." Zelena said. "And neither did Ruby."
"I'm not letting you two go after him. Not without me. Hell, not even with me. You guys, he's dangerous."
"I'm not saying we 'go after' him; I'm saying we find him and call the police." Ruby said.
Emma chewed her lip. "I…we can do that. As long as you both promise me we stay away and don't get too close."
"I swear it."
"Promise."
Emma sighed. "She's gonna hate us." She said with a chuckle.