Unfortunately Emma's stomach had not calmed down in the seventy-two hours since it had started acting up. She'd had moments of feeling far better but the nausea was taking all the energy out of her. It was zapping it from her very being. She hadn't been permitted to leave Will's room and he had taken care of her each night when he wasn't in meetings. The nurse at the school would stop by and check on her every few hours and when that wasn't happening she was left to her own devices.

The flight back to the Sanctuary and in particular the drive from the airport to the actual building itself threw a huge wrench in her system of how to stay even-keeled. They had to stop multiple times in order for her to vomit up acid onto the side of the road. Will had called ahead and spoken quickly with Magnus so she was waiting when the car pulled into the garage. She had a wheelchair ready and would have nothing of it when Emma insisted that she could walk. She was wheeled down to the infirmary where Magnus drew a vial of blood and started an IV. Helen's lips had been pressed in a thin line the entire time and she had only given Emma orders in terms of moving, staying in bed or changing into a gown.

Emma slipped into a light sleep just before Helen left the room to head to the lab. She met up with Will on her way and he followed her until she was seated and setting up the tests. He was giving her the update on the school and was droning on, but she was listening. She reciprocated, when he'd finished, with what had happened the past week at the Sanctuary including a rather fascinating story about Henry who had inadvertently electrocuted himself with his new stunner. Will was in fits and giggles when the she turned to check the computer.

The results were just coming in. "Will," her voice was apprehensive and her eyes were scanning the monitor. "Did you notice anything odd at Emma recently?"

"Nothing that wouldn't be expected. Why?"

She hummed, "Her drug test came back positive."

His eyebrows rose and he leaned over her shoulder to read what she was looking at, his front pressing into her back. Even if most of it didn't make sense to him, he still felt the need to look. "Positive for what?"

"Opiates."

"Opiates?"

"Yeah…" She scanned through the results and bit her lip. "Oh this is not good. Not good at all."

Will ran a hand over Helen's shoulder and squeezed lightly. "What is it?"

"With her physiology the amount she must be taking… it's probably the highest dose you have ever seen anyone take. Her physiology would make it almost impossible for it to be absorbed."

"So what happens now?"

"We have to talk to her." She rose and slid her hands into the pockets of her lab coat. She glanced at him before making her way into the infirmary and to Emma's bedside. The young woman was still sleeping. Helen checked her forearms where the traditional track marks would be, but since she hadn't seen any when she set the IV she had figured Emma was sticking the needles elsewhere. "Will, would you mind giving us some privacy?"

"You sure?"

Helen stopped, her hand on Emma's arm, her eyes sliding up to the man's face. He was so genuine and she could read the concern that was emanating from him. "Yeah, I think she would rather I examine her on my own." She waited until he shut the door and she heard click before she started again. She picked obvious spots and started between Emma's fingers. Her next stop was her toes. It was there that she found what she was looking for. Track marks. Sighing heavily she sat on the edge of the bed and slowly shook the woman awake. "Emma…Emma wake up."

The blonde slowly roused from sleep, but sat up straight as soon as she opened her eyes and saw Magnus sitting next to her. "What's wrong?" She was rubbing at her eyes trying to wake up fully for whatever emergency it was. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened, calm down." Helen pressed a warm palm into Emma's thigh.

"What's wrong, Helen? Come on, it's written all over your face."

Drawing in a deep breath of air, she debated how to start. Aiming for the easiest and fastest way to the issue she spoke. "How long have you been taking the drugs?"

The air tightened and became heavy with tension. Emma's stomach dropped to the other side of the planet before swinging back around and jumping into her throat threatening to come out. "Before you came back." She refused to make eye contact with Helen. She also refused to lie. There would be no point.

"Is this withdrawal?" Emma nodded solemnly and Helen chewed on her lip. Standing she moved to the medicine cabinet and came back with a small glass filled with liquid. "Methadone."

"No. I'll stop without it."

"I'm not giving you an option. It's a small dose."

Emma stared the Dixie cup down before she reached out and took it in her hand. She swirled it carefully and downed it in one gulp. Handing the cup back to Magnus she turned on her side and curled into the blanket that was covering her body. Helen squeezed her fingers over Emma's leg and swallowed. "You don't have to do this alone. We are here for you."

"I know."

"Do you?" There was a long pause where neither woman looked at each other and neither spoke. It took minutes to tick by slowly before Helen voiced her concern. "You've been so distant lately and I can't—"

"This isn't your fault."

"Emma…"

She sat up and cupped Helen's cheek, the IV line pulling slightly, but that was easily amended by Magnus' quick hand. "Look, none of this is your fault. You sent me down there yes but I could have always said no. You did not plan for any of this to happen. It's part of the world, shit happens…you can't control it." Her thumb brushed lightly over Helen's cheekbone as she waited for the blue eyes to open on her face.

"I can't even help you through it."

Emma shook her head. "You can't. No one can. You have to understand that."

"I do, it's just… I don't regret bringing you into the Sanctuary. I doubt that I ever will."

Leaning back into the bed and wrapping her arms around her middle Emma let out a loud sigh. "Well that's good to know." Her hand found its way into Helen's and she kept their fingers firmly attached. "I'm sorry." At the raised eyebrow she continued. "For being a bitch, before… you know…"

"Ah yes." Helen nodded. "Me as well, I'm afraid." There was a quiet pause as the two let the tension fade from the room. It was unfortunate that Helen knew she would have to bring it back into the conversation. She waited until after Emma had eaten the lunch that her old friend had brought them. The methadone and IV fluids along with anti-nausea medication that Helen had given her upon arrival helping to the point that it was the first time Emma was anywhere near close to keeping food down in three days.

She was fading into sleep quickly, but Helen was reluctant to leave her. The young woman had been clingy by her accounts, touching her hand whenever possible and actually opening up a bit. Not necessarily about anything that had happened while in Croatia, but about her life in general. Magnus took it as a sign of great improvement. She brushed the backs of her fingers over Emma's forehead sliding the loose strands of hair behind her ear. "Emma?"

"Hmmm?" There was a smile that graced her lips.

"Emma… did you know you were pregnant? Or that it was even a possibility?"

Every muscle in the woman's body tensed. Her breathing started to increase, her chest rising and falling rapidly and her stomach churning violently. "I can't be pregnant."

"You are."

"You don't understand… I can't be pregnant." She was slowly sitting up, her eyes wide with fear.

"Calm down, take slow deep breaths." Emma tried to comply and when Helen felt she was close to normal she started to speak again. "I would like to do an ultrasound, confirm how far along you are." Emma nodded sharply and waited as Magnus pulled over the equipment necessary. She had already warmed the gel and there was a slight awkward moment when Emma started to pull up her gown and the blanket slipped but as soon as she was positioned on the bed Helen wrapped a hand around her thigh and looked closely at her. "Are you ready for this?"

"I can't be pregnant." Her head shook so minutely it looked close to a seizure, but it stopped. Helen licked her lips and turned to the machine grabbing the gel.

"Unless there is some medical reason of which I am unaware you are perfectly capable of carrying a child to term." She didn't squeeze the bottle onto the woman's stomach, waiting once again for confirmation.

"Do it. I can't be pregnant. You'll see."

The blue gel was warm against her stomach, but the muscles still fluttered at the odd sensation. She raised her hand above her head and waited as Magnus rubbed the wand over the flat abdomen. It only took a moment before the tiny peanut shaped fetus appeared on the screen. Magnus didn't say anything; instead she took measurements and froze the picture sending it via the web to Emma's virtual medical file. She did this a few more times before she twisted her hand and smeared the gel further. She might as well check for any deformities while she was there. Finding none, she went back to the peanut.

"It can't be."

"Emma. This is a fetus, about four or five weeks along."

"I can't be pregnant, Magnus. You really don't understand."

Freezing the image on the screen she cleaned the wand and set it back into its holder. Taking a cloth she cleaned Emma's stomach and pulled down the hospital gown that she was wearing. "Then tell me why you can't be pregnant."

"I just… I can't be pregnant. You need to terminate the pregnancy. Right now."

"Emma—"

"No argument, Helen. Right now."

Helen stood up and pushed the machine away before coming back to Emma and sitting down, her arm straddling the woman who was still lying on the bed. "I want you to think about this. I know the circumstances are the least of which you would want, or anyone would want. But I do want you to think about this."

"No."

"Emma."

"Do it."

"Emma. Stop. I will not be terminating the pregnancy tonight, or this week for that matter. I want you to stop and think about this." Emma was shaking her head. "Are you listening to me?"

"You really just don't get it."

"It doesn't matter if I get it. You've been through a lot this past month and I want you to carefully think this over. I don't want you to do anything that you'll regret."

"I won't regret it."

Helen sighed heavily and drew in a deep breath to calm herself. The conversation was going in circles and she was becoming quite frustrated with it. "I will terminate the pregnancy if you wish, but take the time to think about this. Please. Convince me that you won't regret it."

"And how do I do that?"

"Time, Emma. That's all I'm asking from you."

"Then you'll terminate?"

"If that's what you want, then I will terminate the pregnancy… yes." They were at a standstill. Each woman had dug their trenches and the war was just beginning.