Finding You Always

Jar of Hearts

Finding You Always

Chapter 12: Jar of Hearts

Emma Swan had been having a really good day. At any other school, she had never known what it was like to fit in and never made more than a couple of acquaintances. She had never been anywhere long enough to make friends or put down roots. But Storybrooke was different. She had her real father now(and her real mother, or she would once she figured out how to make her remember).

In all her other schools, she had simply been Emma Swan, the new kid. Or Emma Swan, that kid from one of the foster homes. But now, she was Emma Swan...Sheriff's daughter. No more Emma Swan the orphan. And that seemed to mean something to the other kids or so it seemed that day.

First, Emma was picked first for dodgeball teams in gym. Emma had never been picked first...for anything, let alone teams in gym class. Always the new kid, always the strange girl with her book of fairy tales. Even in earlier years, before she realized she had to stay quiet about the true identities of her parents, she had been the "freak" that thought fairy tales were real.

But it seemed the kids at Storybrooke Elementary had discovered she had a bit of natural athletic ability and had chosen her first. And it felt good...really, really good.

The day continued to get better after that when she received good marks on her math test. Miss Blanchard had personally helped her study in the evenings. A concept she once didn't understand had finally clicked with Mary Margaret's help and tutelage. She was excited to show Daddy her good grades.

But the best part of the day had come at afternoon recess when she had made two friends. She had so much fun and so when they convinced her to skip the bus and come play with them instead, she had done so. She knew she would be in trouble when she didn't show up at the station after school. But Emma had never had friends before and she wanted so badly to be liked by them.

However, Ava and Nicholas Zimmer hadn't really wanted to play with her. She had just been their distraction while they stole items at Mr. Clark's store. She hadn't stolen anything, but Mr. Clark kept her behind, while the other two had absconded, leaving Emma behind without another thought.

She saw the patrol car pull up and felt both relief and fear. What if Daddy sent her back? After all, she had been sent back for less before. The tears came harder now, as David ran to her.

"Daddy...I'm sorry. I didn't know they were going to do that," Emma sobbed, preparing to be yelled at. But she was surprised when he gathered her in his arms in an almost bone crushing hug.

"Please don't send me back. I'll be better...I promise," Emma sobbed, nearly uncontrollably. David swore he felt his heart actually crack into pieces. He pulled back and cupped her face in his hands.

"You listen to me, Emma Swan Nolan, I love you. You getting into trouble won't change that and I'll never send you away. I will always love you, no matter what you do. I was so scared when you didn't get off the bus," he told her. She sniffed.

"I'm sorry. Nicholas and Ava said they'd be my friends if I helped them. I didn't know they were gonna steal...honest!" Emma cried.

"Shh...I know, it will be okay. But you have to promise me you'll never run off like that again. If something happened to you, I don't know what I'd do, princess. I just got you back and I can't lose you again, okay?" he asked. She nodded.

"Okay...stay here. I need to talk to Mr. Clark and then we'll go back to the station," David said, as he stood up.

"Mr. Clark, I want to personally apologize. My daughter didn't have intentions of stealing and I intend to find the two children that did," David said. Tom Clark had softened at the exchange he witnessed between David and Emma. He had no inkling as to why, but he felt drawn to them.