That's How You Know | Emma Swan

XiX. Welcome Home

Storybrooke. Present-day.

GEMMA NEVER THOUGHT she would be in Mary Margret's arms again and the feeling almost had her sobbing in her raven-haired friend's arms but managed to hold herself together as she hugged Mary Margret close to her chest and her smile was watery as she pulled back "You're back, I can't believe your back!"

"Neither can I, but I am and I can promise you I'm not going anywhere" 

"I won't let you, even if you wanted to!"

"Hey, I'm still waiting for my hug," Keira tells him her arms folded across her chest as she looked between Mary Margret and Gemma who let's slip a chuckle and pulls her into a hug, the three friends hugging each other tightly before they pulled apart bright smiles on their faces

"I missed you guys" Mary Magret smiled, a watery smile and her eyes were glassy like she was on the verge on tears and honestly Gemma couldn't blame her, she had just gone through something that not many people go through, so she couldn't blame her for crying if Gemma was in that position she had a sinking feeling in her gut, she'd do more than cry "I missed all of you, and I want to thank you all for standing by my side when I went through something I could never imagine"

"You'd do the same for us" Gemma shrugged

"Yeah you would and that's why we're going to throw you a Welcome Home party after all the shit you've been through I would say you were in dire need of it" Keira suggests, much to the shock of her two best friends who looked at their friend like she had sprouted three heads

"You...You hate parties?"

"Yeah but it looks like Mary Margret could do with one to take the stress off her shoulders and be around people that were her friends to see how much she didn't need them" Keira let out bitterly "Because now they're trying to suck up to her and I can't stand it, because they're all a bunch of hypocrites and I want them to see how wrong they are ... and that Mary Margret and us don't need them"

"Thank you but I don't need you to stick up for me, but a party sounds good I think I need to relax, but where will we have the party?" Mary Margret asked with a small smile, curiosity flowing through her voice 

Emma perked up, reminding Gemma that she was still there as she had been quiet, letting the three friends have their reunion "We'll have it at the loft, Erica and I will sort it out so Mary Margret can just relax"

"Sounds good"

* * * * *

Enchanted Foret. Then.

Sixteen-year-old Giselle cried on Snow White's shoulder, sobs racking through her body as Snow White rubbed her back and tried to calm her down, she had been crying for hours, her eyes were puffy and red. It had been quite obvious she had been crying 

"I-I can't believe he has gone" Giselle sobbed into Snow White's shoulder

"Shush" Snow White tried to calm her down and Giselle sucked in a breath, some of her sobs turned into small hiccups, her curly red hair covering her face and matted with snot but right now she didn't care, all she cared about was the aching hole in her chest that would never be filled again "Everything is going to be okay, you're going to get through this because you are strong and I know it hurts right now. Believe me, I know but you were there for me when my mom died so I'm going to be here for you"

"T-Thank you" Giselle hiccupped "You don't have to be"

Snow White frowned in confusion, looking at her friend in disbelief as she didn't quite know how to respond to it "Nonsense! I'm your friend, of course, I'm going to be there  for you when you need me to be"