I had never seen him this way. So weak, so frail. His breath was trembling and his skin was white as can be. It haunted me. What happened to him? The Huntsman I once knew was unrecognizable. I searched his body for answers and I found one. Blood. Seeping through the fabric layers of his attire. Gushing.

He rolled onto his side and that's when I saw it in full view. Right along his ribs. I lunged forward and placed my hands against his wound. As he laid there, I pleaded with him to keep holding on.

"Eric. Stay with me. I beg of you." I had just got him back. I wasn't going to lose him now.

His breathing was hush, like all his trembling had taken the life out of him. I just needed him to stay awake while I stopped the bleeding. I pressed as hard as I could, putting all of my might into stopping it. I pronounced myself above him, as he laid beneath me.

I kept my eyes on him as I did.

"Snow." He whispered.

"I'm right here, Eric. I'm here."

He turned to look at me for a moment and as our eyes met, my heart raced even quicker. I might have been feeling my body pulsing from the fear of Eric leaving me again, but just one look from those eyes and I was breathless myself.

I could tell he wanted to speak, but I only had one goal in mind.

"It won't stop, Eric. We have to do something." I cried.

I turned my head to the fireplace, seeing if I had enough wood to start a fire. I didn't want to, but I had to cauterize him.

"I have to do it." I whispered.

I pulled my hands away from him, his whimpered coughing bellowing in my ears as I crawled to the fireplace. My hands were shaking as I grabbed the stones beside me, mustering up any spark I could. The hay nestled in between the logs was brittle, but I just needed a little. Enough to burn. After a few moments of unsuccessful attempts, I finally got the hay to blaze.

I grabbed the fire poker beside me and I wielded it in the fire. The dark metal glistened an orange hue, smoke rising up as it did. It was hot, and I knew it would hurt him. I turned back to him and he was barely conscious. I retreated to him, holding his face in my hands as I did.

"Stay with me, Eric. Stay with me." I begged.

"Look at me, please." His bright blue eyes peeked out under his eyelids, his burly chest rising under me as they did. Dark swirls of hair peeked out of his shirt and I felt every curve of his strong frame as I touched him. His warm breath tickled me, he was so close. His hand reached for me, his weakened state only allowing for his skin to just grace my collarbone. I wanted to give in to him. But if I didn't act now, he would die. I couldn't live with that.

I tore at his clothes, pulling the thick cotton and hearing them hiss as I did. His shirt was fully open, bare as can be. His skin was mostly smooth, except for a few burns and old scars. I could see the wound on his rib was deep, the blood still trickling through. I grabbed the fire poker from the fireplace, and I could tell he was anticipating the pain.

"Snow, I…" He whimpered fearfully.

"No, stop. Eric...I need to say something." I interjected.

His eyes met mine. His eyes flooded with emotion as he gasped for air.

"I'm sorry." I said woefully, fighting back my tears.

Without even continuing, I shot the poker onto his skin in one thrust. His muscles tensed and his head shot back. His legs and arms stretched out in agony as he clung onto the rug beneath him. His teeth clenched so hard, I thought they'd break. It pained me to see him this way.

He screamed so loud, I heard Sage outside start to whiny in terror. I laid against him in an instant and I held him close as he wailed in agony. His face settled into mine as he cried and I held his face as our foreheads met. Sweat dripping down our faces and only our breath cooling us down, I held him beside me. His arm met my waist and my hand met his exposed chest. I waited until his screams stopped to relent and sigh deeply. It was by far the most grueling and emotional night of my life.