Panic attack
Bedbathandbeyond asked for a oneshot of Snow having to help Emma through a panic attack.
I think it's important to remember that there are very different symptoms for panic attacks. Someone might experience different panic attacks depending on the situation. With my anxiety, sure, I can get the typical struggling for breath and shaking type panic attack. However, the kind I get most often is referred to as an absence panic attack. That's why it's the kind Emma will be having.
Everything in her brain was simultaneously going at one hundred miles an hour, and slowing down to a snail's pace. She couldn't think right. Everything had just become too much. Her brain had just gone into panic mode, and there was now nothing Emma could do but ride it out.
Emma had agreed to help her mom out at Storybrooke's soup kitchen. She hadn't had to deal with large amounts of people in such a long time, and had forgotten how demanding it could be. The stress she dealt with as both the Saviour and joint sheriff were different types of stress. This, this just pushed her over the edge. Emma was now on autopilot. She could only hear her heart hammering in her ears. She couldn't speak. She couldn't make a sound. She could feel her hands tremoring slightly, but she didn't have the focus at that moment to do anything about it. She knew she was meant to be getting two more bowls, but her thoughts were slipping through her mind like sand. One second they were there, the next, gone. It was almost like someone had slammed a giant alarm button inside her head. Now all the different sections of her brain were shutting down, refusing to help her. She didn't know what to do. She wandered around slightly aimlessly, trying her hardest to keep going and push through. Her vision was swimming. She didn't actually know what she was looking at or doing, she just did it.
Snow noticed the way Emma's skin had suddenly paled. She looked down and saw her hands shaking. She saw the way Emma moved almost like she wasn't fully there. Quickly, Snow put down her ladle and walked back to the kitchen where Emma was. She caught her as she was about to pour the bowls of soup and did it for her. It wasn't work the risk. The mental state was she was currently in, Snow was worried that she might burn herself.
"Go take a seat down by the stairs at the fridge." Snow quietly suggested. She noticed Emma nodding, but not fully taking in what she was being told. "Hey." She said, taking Emma's hand in hers. Emma seemed to come back to herself slightly. "Go take a seat." Snow said again. "Do you want a glass of water?" Emma shook her head. She still couldn't quite string her thoughts together coherently enough to speak without it coming out juddered, but she at least was able to respond. "Ok." Snow said gently. "Go have a little break. Come back when you're ready." Emma gave a shaky nod, going to sit on the stairs, her hands still shaking. Snow kept a watch over her, but didn't encroach on her space. She knew Emma didn't need someone busying around her right now. She needed space, time to get her head back together. So Snow would give her that.
Emma would get back to helping after a few minutes. She gave her mom a small smile, but otherwise, gave no indication of wanting to talk about the attack. That was fine by Snow. She would take Emma's lead on this one. What mattered most, was that she recovered from it and bounced back. Snow wouldn't press her on it further, not if she didn't want her to.
