Never alone

A guest asked for a oneshot of an abused little Emma getting adopted by Mary Margaret. For part of this to work as I want it to if we could just pretend that Whale also remembered everything before the curse. We can say it's because he wasn't actually from the Enchanted Forest…

The six year old shivered silently in the giant hospital bed. Her social worker had left her alone to go and bring in the woman who would be her new foster mommy. Emma looked up in apprehension when she heard the door opening. It wasn't Sophie (her social worker) it was a doctor. Emma barely batted an eyelid; she'd seen so many in her short life. In this case it was for her broken arm. Her previous Foster mother had flung her down the stairs simply to laugh as she fell. She wasn't expecting a surprise visit from Sophie. Of course Emma was taken away straight away and was brought here to this strange town of Storybrooke. This guy Doctor Whale had been looking after her arm.

"Hey, how's my favourite little patient?" He asked her. Emma shrugged which made the doctor frown. "Aww, what's up little lady?"

"What if my new Foster mommy doesn't think I'm good enough?" Emma asked him. The fact she'd already given up on herself broke Whale's heart.

"You know, I used to think I wasn't good enough either." He said, sitting on the end of Emma's bed. The little girl looked up at him with big eyes filled with wonder.

"Really?" She whispered. Whale nodded.

"Victor you must get your head out of the clouds!" Alphonse yelled at his son. "Look at your brother, look at all he has achieved while you daydream your life away!"

"Father please." Gerhardt cut in. "Victor and I are different men."

"Don't defend him, Gerhardt. He needs to learn." Victor had never felt more useless. He just wanted to make his father proud. But he was no soldier, he was a scientist. He was happier studying physics than he was out on the battlefield. But he just couldn't seem to do anything that made his father happy with him.

"No father, I must insist you accept Victor for who he is." Gerhardt said rather forcefully. "He is a genius, and you refuse to acknowledge his amazing accomplishments. See the son you have and realise how lucky you are." Victor was rather taken aback; his brother had always been on his side but had never defended him so openly to their father before. Victor was almost certain it would make no difference but just knowing he wasn't alone made all the difference in the world.

Of course Victor didn't tell the child all the ins and outs of the story, not wanting her to twig his true identity. But she got the point.

"Remember, Emma. There's always going to be someone on your side. And I know who your new Foster mother is. I'm positive she'll think the world of you." Whale had no idea who Mary Margaret really was or her connection with Emma, but he knew that the woman was a very caring one who would love the child dearly, which was exactly what she needed. The door opened once more with Sophie and Mary Margaret coming in. Emma peered nervously at her new Foster mommy. She did look nice, but that didn't always mean they were.

"Emma, I'd like you to meet Mary Margaret." Sophie introduced them.

"Hey Emma." Mary Margaret said gently. Whale ducked out of the room to allow Emma to take in the new face. Mary Margaret took his place at the end of the bed. "It's nice to meet you, sweetheart." Emma smiled back shyly, unsure what to say. But she didn't have to say anything. Mary Margaret felt something change in her heart. She had an instant connection to this little girl that she couldn't quite explain. In fact, she was almost positive she would not be fostering Emma at all. She would be doing everything she could to adopt her.