Another one before the years ends…

Emma and Ella

Chapter 12: Guilt

"How's Emma?" Mary Margaret asked as she saw David come out of one of the cubicles.

"I'm not sure, they haven't examined her yet. They are helping her get changed into a gown. How's Ella?"

"I don't know. They rushed her off to surgery as soon as we got here. I've been waiting for them to update me on how she's doing." Mary Margaret said, looking very worried.

David frowned in worry at hearing she was in surgery. "I'm sure she will be fine."

"What happened anyway? Why were they there?" Mary Margaret asked.

"I'm not exactly sure, but I came out of my office and they were both gone. I went to look for them and got a call from Sean saying he saw Emma going into the mine. When I got there, the cave in had already happened." David told her.

"Ella snuck off and Emma followed her." Mary Margaret said with a sigh.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking." David said, he couldn't help, but be a little frustrated with Ella for being the reason for everything happening. He was worried about her and cared about her, but he was disappointed in her behavior.

Mary Margaret could tell he was frustrated with Ella and was about to say she was sorry for her daughter's actions causing Emma to get hurt, but then David got called into Emma's cubicle.

"Hey Em." David said as he went back into the cubicle to see Emma looking rather upset and panicked as she looked at the nurse who was in her cubicle. She relaxed some when she saw him. He sat down on the edge of the bed by her. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Emma mumbled quietly as she eyed the nurse wearily.

"Now how about the truth?" David said with a smile.

Emma rolled her eyes as she leant against David. "I guess I am not feeling the greatest."

David put an arm around her. "So why were you and Ella at the mines?"

Emma bit her lip. "Ella wanted to go. I tried to convince her to stay, but she left anyway. I wasn't very nice to her and I wanted to apologize so I went after her."

"Why did she wanted to go to the mine?" David asked.

"She thought there'd be proof of the curse there. She's trying to convince me of the curse."

David sighed. "Maybe you need to talk to her about how you feel. I'm sure she would understand and back off about her curse theory."

"I don't know, maybe. I just don't want her feelings to be hurt anymore than I have already." Emma told him.

David nodded in understanding.

"Am I in trouble for sneaking out?" Emma asked as her dad was lost in his own thoughts.

David chuckled. "I think that breaking your arm and having to be in the hospital is punishment enough this time." David said seriously.

Emma bit her lip from smiling. She was definitely okay with that. She then frowned. "Is Ella okay?"

"She's in surgery right now." David said softly.

"But will she be okay?" Emma asked with a fearful look for her friend.

"I hope so, honey." David said softly.

*****OUAT*****

Four hours later (Around 10 pm)…

Mary Margaret sat in the chair by Ella's bed waiting for her to wake up. When Ella started to groan, Mary Margaret jumped out of her seat. "Ella?" She called to her softly.

"M..mommy?" Ella whined as she came to.

Mary Margaret started to stroke Ella's cheek. "I'm here, baby." She told her softly.

"Hurts…." Ella whined as she moved her head side to side.

"I know, baby." Mary Margaret said softly. She had meds in her, but they said that they couldn't get her another dose just yet. She had a cast that started just below her knee and went to just above her toes. Her knee had been severely sprained and was wrapped up. She had both broken and bruised ribs. She had bruises over a majority of her body. She had a concussion with a big bruise on the corner of her head and a bump on the back of her head. She had gone into surgery for internal bleeding, but they believed that they had taken care of that. They were now worried about the amount of ribs she had broken, it was harder for her to breath without the support of her ribs.

"Why don't you try to get some rest? I'll be here when you wake." Mary Margaret said when Ella's eyes started to droop close.

"'Tay." Ella mumbled tiredly before closing her eyes and falling asleep fast.

Mary Margaret kissed her forehead before once again sitting back in her chair.

*****OUAT*****

"Do you think Mary Margaret would help me with my hair?" Emma asked David the next morning. Both Emma and Ella had both been admitted to the hospital the night before. Ella would have to be there longer than Emma, but for now they were both in the hospital. They weren't in the same room, however. They were one room apart. Emma was in 307 and Ella was in room 305.

"I can ask her for you. I'm sure she would." David said with a soft smile at her. "I'll be right back."

David headed over to Ella's room. He hadn't seen her since they got her into the ambulance. He walked into the room to see Mary Margaret sitting on the edge of Ella's bed laughing with her.

He frowned as he saw Ella's cast and bandages. She looked very fragile sitting in her bed.

"Hey, Emma was wondering if you would do her hair?" David said softly.

Ella looked up at him with bright eyes, happy to see him.

"Sure." Mary Margaret said with a kind smile before looking back to Ella. "I'll be right back, honey."

David came over to Ella's bed and sat down. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Ella said quickly, without thinking about it.

"You and Emma are always fine, even in the hospital." David said with a kind smile.

Ella rolled her eyes. "Ok, maybe I'm not fine."

David smiled and then looked down for a second. "What were you thinking going into the mine?" He asked softly without anger, just concerned for her and Emma.

Ella looked down in embarrassment. "I needed to find proof and I saw that the mines run under the city. I figured something would be down there. I am sorry that Emma got hurt. I really didn't mean for her to get hurt."

David sighed softly before tucking some of Ella's hair behind her ear. "It wasn't your fault that Emma got hurt, I know that. You had no idea that the mine would cave in. But didn't you think of how dangerous it could be to go into a mine before you went in?" David asked her kindly.

Ella looked up at him with sheepish look. "I didn't think about it."

David looked at her with a mixture of sadness and disappointment as well as concern. "Please start to think about things before you do them. Your mother, myself, and Emma don't want to lose you or see you hurt." He had been worried about both of the girls. When he first saw Ella under all those rocks, he didn't know if she would make it through it. It had really scared him.

Ella blinked back tears at hearing he actually cared about her. She knew it, but it was another thing to hear it.

"I know. I'm sorry." Ella said softly as her eyes watered up.

"Thank you for saying sorry. I'm just worried about you, kid. You scared me yesterday when I saw you under all those rocks. I just hate to see you hurt." David told her softly before hugging her carefully.

"I'm sorry." Ella cried.

"Shh, It's okay. I forgive you and you are both going to be just fine now." David reassured her.

*****OUAT*****

"Hey sweetheart, you need help with your hair?" Mary Margaret asked kindly.

"Yeah, would you mind?" Emma asked with a shy smile.

"Of course not. What do you want?" Mary Margaret asked.

Emma decided on one braid that came to the side of her head and rested on her shoulder.

As Mary Margaret got started on Emma's hair to began to wonder what injuries Emma had. "How are you feeling, honey?"

"Fine." Emma answered,

"Just fine?" Mary Margaret said with chuckle. "You are in the hospital, honey, I don't think you are just fine."

Emma smiled sheepishly. "I know, but I'm going to be fine."

"Good, sweetie." Mary Margaret said with a smile.

"How's Ella?" Emma asked in worry.

"She's okay, but she will be here for a while." Mary Margaret answered softly.

"I was worried about her." Emma looked down, looking at bit sheepish for a moment. She never did get to apologize to her for calling her crazy. She still felt terrible about that.

"She was worried about you too." Mary Margaret said as she finished her hair. "There, all finished."

"Thanks, Mary Margaret." Emma said with a smile.

"No problem, honey." Mary Margaret said with a kind smile. "Well I better get back to Ella now."

"Will you come back and visit?" Emma asked, wishing she could stay with her.

"If you want, I will." Mary Margaret said with a smile.

"Good." Emma said with a smile.

*****OUAT*****

"I'll see you later, honey." David said with a smile.

Ella nodded, but was looking tired.

"Get some rest." David said as Mary Margaret came into the room.

David walked over to Mary Margaret and kissed the side of her face. "I'll see you in a little bit."

Mary Margaret nodded with a smile. She was glad that he was there as well.

David started towards the door, but then Mary Margaret called him, "David, wait." David frowned and stopped to turn back to her.

Mary Margaret came over to him. "Is Emma alright?" She asked in worry.

"Yeah, she broke her arm in two places and has a lot of bruises. She has a concussion too. They are keeping her for observation for now." David told her.

"Poor girl. I'm sorry she got hurt because Ella decided to go in that mine."

"She didn't know it would collapse on them." David said softly. "It's okay."

"It's not okay, but thanks for being so good with this and thanks for saving them." Mary Margaret said sincerely.

"It's no problem. I am sorry I didn't catch them sooner." David said looking a bit guilty. He had been kicking himself for not keeping a better eye on them.

"Hey, don't blame yourself for this. They knew better than to leave the station. It wasn't your fault this happen." Mary Margaret assured him.

"Thanks." David said, but he still blamed himself at least a little for what happened.

Mary Margaret got up on her tippy toes and kissed David's cheek. "See you later."

David left with a smile and Mary Margaret headed back into Ella's room.

Ella was looking sleepy as she laid in her hospital bed. She had been thinking about what she talked to David about and knew she shouldn't have gone in the mine. It accomplished nothing and got both herself and Emma hurt. She felt bad about it all.

Ella looked up as her mom sat down on her bed. "Mom, I'm sorry for everything. I shouldn't have gone in that mine."

"No, you shouldn't have." Mary Margaret said softly.

"I'm sorry I caused you so much worry and I got Emma hurt. I didn't know the mine would cave in. I'm sorry it was all my fault." Ella said as tears started to fall down her face from the guilt she was feeling.

"Hey, I know you made a mistake by sneaking out and going in the mine, but it wasn't your fault that the mine collapsed, okay?"

Ella nodded.

"Now you said you are sorry and I forgive you. Now, it is time to move on, forgive yourself, and learn from this." Mary Margaret said as she held her daughter's face.

"Okay." Ella said, but was crying still.

Mary Margaret brought her in for a hug and until she seemed to settle. When she did, Mary Margaret noticed that she was ready for a nap and more meds.

"Alright sweetheart, it's time for you to get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up again." Mary Margaret said as she pushed the PCA pump for her daughter.

Ella nodded, feeling extremely worn out by now and ready to sleep.

"Sleep sweetheart." Mary Margaret said before kissing her forehead. "I love you."

Thanks for Reading!

Oh and I have written up to when the curse breaks so the chapters will come out a little faster than normal! I know a lot of you are excited for when the curse is broken and the Charmings can be a real family! :) Thanks for being patient with me!