Dragging her feet behind her, Emma finally made her way back to the cabin. The run had done her well. It had cleared her head, but with every step that took her closer back to the warmth and light it also took her closer to Regina.

She felt the anxiety starting to fill her body again. The inevitable talk they were bound to have when she got back was not one she was looking forward to.

Perhaps if she was lucky, Regina would have gone to back to sleep. It must be about three thirty in the morning at this time. Surely Regina wouldn't wait up for her.

The last kilometre or so had gone by in a walking pace. Naturally after only having ingested an apple, her body didn't have much energy to go on. Her vision was getting blurry, as it normally did at this point. If only she could make it back to the cabin before passing out, Emma would be happy with herself.

After three hundred metres she caught a glimpse of the outdoor lights from the cabin. A feeling of relief flooded her body as she picked up her pace a bit.

She was gasping for air by the time she opened the door to the cabin and stepped inside. The air hit her lungs like icicles and made it hard to breathe properly. Emma was so caught up in forcing oxygen into her system that she didn't notice the lean figure standing in front of her.

"You're back."

Emma's eyes snapped up to focus on the woman in front of her, holding out a blanket in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

"Regina," was all she managed to get out while reaching a trembling hand to the glass. It never reached its target.

Emma could practically feel her body betraying her. Her vision was starting to blur again. Her head was spinning. So confused. Up, down, left, right. She didn't know anymore. Her face felt funny. Body trembling like a leaf.

She barely noticed the sound of Regina moving around in the room. It wasn't until she felt something draped over her shoulders and wrapped around her that she started to regain focus.

"It's okay. I've got you."

The other woman half guided, half carried her towards the couch and helped her down in a sitting position.

"Here, drink this."

Something cold touched her lips and Emma felt too weak to argue at this point. She opened her lips and gulped down the liquid Regina had conjured up for her.

"It's just some chocolate milk. And before you protest… You are in dire need of some right now," she said while setting the glass down on the coffee table.

Emma was too tired to protest anyway. She couldn't even gather up the strength to form words.

"Here is a glass of water. Try to drink this while I go make us some tea," she continued and placed a glass with water in Emma's hands before heading to the kitchen area.

It even had a straw. Emma snorted at this. She wasn't a child! She wasn't an invalid! She didn't need a straw to drink from a glass.

It turned out she did. Her arms wouldn't function for her. Getting the glass to her lips was an impossible task. In the end, when she made sure Regina couldn't see her, she bent down and sipped her water.

It was a slow task, but she could feel her strength coming back to her ever so slowly.

Regina returned with two steaming mugs in her hands.

"You finished it all by yourself. Good girl," Regina said with a tiny smirk on her face.

Emma could feel how blood rushed to her cheeks but refused to acknowledge the comment.

"Thank you… For everything," she croaked.

"Of course."

The other woman sat down beside Emma on the couch, leaning back a little. Emma bit her lip, looking down into her mug, refusing to meet Regina's gaze.

The silence stretched on for a good while. Apparently, Regina was content with sipping her tea. What was she waiting for? For Emma to start talking? Fat chance of that happening.

There was no way she would even know what to start with.

Sorry I pushed you out of my way to go running in the forest at two in the morning? My deepest apologies, but it seems like I am a lost cause that is doing everything wrong. Again, and again. I will keep disappointing you, Regina. No matter what I do I will always be a failure? No, Emma decided it was best to shut up and let her take charge of the conversation for now.

"I know it's hard, Emma. I understand if you feel like you're in a truly impossible situation right now. But please… Please let me help you the best I can."

Her voice had grown thick as she started talking. Emma dared throw a quick glance at her face. Their eyes met, and Emma could see there was nothing but compassion behind the dark, oh so beautiful eyes that met hers.

"Will you do that for me? Let me in? Let me share the burden with you. You don't have to be alone in this."

Regina placed a what was probably supposed to be a comforting hand on Emma's shoulder. She couldn't help it, but she flinched ever so slightly at the touch. Regina, seemingly immediately realizing her mistake, withdrew her hand and folded them in her own lap.

It wasn't that Emma didn't want Regina's comfort. It was only that she knew it wouldn't last. Regina would, as all others eventually did, grow tired of her. It would end with Regina giving up on her and leaving her to cope on her own. She just couldn't allow herself to hope for anything else but the pain that would inevitably once again take over her when Regina left her.

In one way, Emma figured, her way of dealing with life was a security she had to take for herself in order to survive.

Her gaze hardened. She clenched her jaw in preparation for what she was finally going to answer.

"No," was the words that finally left her mouth.

This was apparently not what Regina had expected. The other woman looked at her, confused. She opened her mouth to reply, but Emma wasn't finished.

"You have got to understand, Regina. For the biggest part of my life I have been left to fend for myself. I have let myself turn into this person I am right now. It is my identity. I don't know how… Scratch that. I don't want to change that. This is safe, it's all I know. I don't need your help to handle anything, because nothing is going to change."

Emma had slowly worked herself into a rage. She wouldn't know if the woman sitting beside her understood the meaning of what she was saying, but she didn't care.

"This is a waste of time. I want to go home."

She didn't realize she had raised her voice during her monologue but looking at Regina she could see she had clearly startled the other woman. At least that what was Emma thought the expression on the other woman's face meant.

"Okay."

Okay? Definitely not what Emma had expected.

"We can leave. But you know what that means for you. You will go to a hospital. Even if I have to drag you in there myself, kicking and screaming. I still hold some sort of respect back in Storybrooke, the residents will back me in my decision. If you can't get the help you need back there, I will take you somewhere else. We won't stop until you get the help you need."

Of course, this was Regina she was talking about. Nothing could scare that woman. Except Emma didn't respond well to ultimatums.

"You can't force me!" Emma got to her feet, ready to flee the room.

"No, I can't force you," Regina started before Emma could get in another word.

"I can't force you, but I can stop you from seeing our son. He might hate me for it, but I don't want him to have front row seats to watching his mother slowly kill herself. And if that is what you need to have in the back of your head to get better, then so be it. I have been the villain of the story before. It is a role I will happily take on if it means you won't die," Regina said in a steady tone.

Emma could feel the anger explode inside of her. It wasn't fair! It should be a simple choice. Her son above all else. But the part of her that had been through life before Storybrooke was still a part of her. Her memories were still intact, and they came back to remind her of that every time she got a moment of peace and quiet.

"You wouldn't do that," Emma said shakily.

"Try me."

"You have no rights! I am a grown woman. I am his mother. No. Regina, please don't do this. I need my son," Emma started pleading.

"Then show me you can get better. If not for yourself, do it for your son. He loves you so much, Emma," Regina answered calmly. She had gotten to her feet as well, stepping closer to Emma.

She could feel how her body betrayed her and started shaking. From the exhaustion, anger, fear, Emma didn't know.

"You don't understand!" It was all Emma could get out before a heart-breaking sob left her.

It was so tiring to carry this with her. It wasn't as if Emma hadn't tried before. She had tried, again, and again, to recover and live as a seemingly healthy, happy person. It always ended in disaster. The only thing she had for sure was the safety of controlling her numbers. It was like a warm blanket on a cold day.

"Then make me understand," came Regina's soothing answer.

There was no way she would be capable of explaining to Regina the mess inside of her. Her thoughts didn't even make sense to herself. The situation was hopeless, because she didn't want to lose Henry, but she also couldn't find any way of telling Regina what she needed to hear to understand. Emma's vision went blurry. Not from the lack of energy this time, but tears. She crossed her arms over her body as to wrap herself in a hug to stop herself from breaking.

"I'm going to hug you now."

She heard Regina's words but almost didn't register what she was saying. Her cries had taken over completely now. It was as if something inside of her had broken. Just when she thought she couldn't hold herself up anymore, she felt strong arms wrap around her. At first Emma resisted the embrace, but when it became clear the other woman wouldn't let go of her hold, she relaxed into it.

Emma managed to bury her face in the crook of her neck and closed her eyes.

"I'm scared, Regina. I'm so so scared," she whispered into her chest.

A hand gently stroked her back.

"I know you are," Regina murmured into her hair.

"But you are not alone in this, Emma. I will be by your side every step of the way. But you have to walk the path yourself. I will be there, holding your hand, supporting you, helping you the best I can, but I can't do the heavy lifting for you."

Emma drew a shaky breath and nodded. She could do that. Until Regina left her side at least. It was inevitable. They all left in the end. But for the time being, she could walk the path. She would get better for her son.

She wasn't tricking herself into believing she would do this for herself. That would be lying. The only reason she even considered Regina's help was because of Henry. She couldn't let her son witness her death at such a young age.

"I can try," was all Emma could promise her.

"That's all I ask," Regina answered while supporting her weight as Emma let her tears flow freely, crying as if the world had just been taken away from her.