Emma tucks the sheet around Regina in the hospital bed after helping her change back into the shorts and t-shirt.
Regina grabs Emma's arms and waits for her to look at her. "I know that I still love you as my friend."
"I don't need a friend, Regina." Emma drops her eyes and smooths out the sheet. She gently removes Regina's hands. "This isn't your fault. In fact, it's very much my fault, but that doesn't make it any easier."
Regina reaches out for Emma again, but Emma steps back. "Archie says that it might get better."
"You've never been very good at gambling." Emma pulls out her phone and checks the time. "Mary Margaret will be here soon."
"For what?"
"She's going to help you with physical therapy."
Regina tries to move to catch Emma's eyes, but Emma keeps looking everywhere but at Regina. "I thought you were helping me."
"Henry and I promised you we'd clean, remember? We will be at the house."
"Oh," Regina drops her head. "Emma?" She waits, but Emma doesn't turn to her so she continues, "Are you alright?"
Emma's head snaps around, and she glares at Regina. "Am I alright? How on earth would I be okay right now? Everything, absolutely everything, is fucking ruined. And I did it. Do you know how badly I want to say 'well maybe she never loved me anyways' and pack up and leave? But I can't. I have to constantly remind myself that this is just your stupid brain trying to screw up my entire freaking life, but there's one thing that I can't seem to forget: at the end of the day, this is all my doing. Not only are you in the hospital, but you don't love me suddenly because I can't control my stupid little problems."
"It's not a stupid little problem," Regina responds gently.
"It feels like a pretty stupid little problem compared to the rest of this." Emma grips her hands on her hips and drops her head, taking calming breaths. "I love you, and I am going to do whatever it takes to fix this. It's not your fault. I know that. Just…" She looks up at Regina. "Just give me a little bit of time to process this."
Regina nods. "I… Okay. I'll miss you."
"You sure about that?" Emma scoffs without realizing it.
"Yes. I don't want you out of my life suddenly. I may not be able to understand what my feelings are for you, but you are still an important part of me."
"Well, that's great." Emma hears footsteps and moves to the door. She smiles when she sees Mary Margaret. "Hey Mom. I'm off to meet Henry. Bye." She gives her a quick hug and bolts from the room.
Regina watches her go then drops her head back against the pillow.
Mary Margaret slowly approaches the bed. "Regina, what's wrong?"
She shakes her head. "Your dreams have come true, my dear Snow. I no longer love your daughter, and I broke her heart just like you expected."
Mary Margaret stares at her with wide eyes.
In the living room, Emma and Henry lazily dust the furniture.
"Can't Mom just hire a maid?" Henry complains.
"There are less than a handful of people in any world that she trusts. I don't think a maid makes the cut." Emma's fingers linger on a family picture sitting on a shelf.
Henry stands next to her and bumps her shoulder. "We'll get back to that soon."
Emma looks at him questioningly. He nods to the picture, but she shakes her head. "I'm not so sure, kid."
"What do you mean? She's getting better right? I mean, we wouldn't be here if she wasn't getting better."
Emma quickly turns and grabs his shoulders, realizing he's starting to panic. "Henry, woah. Yes, she's getting better."
"Then what's the problem?"
Emma closes her eyes and sighs before looking at him again. "She's… changed, a bit. She isn't as in tune with her emotions as she was before the accident."
Henry studies her face. "I'm really not sure where this is going, Ma. Cut the cryptic?"
Emma drops her hands. "Operation Swan-Mills is a bust, kid. Okay? I fucked up her brain a little too much. Looks like it's not in the cards for us."
Henry's eyes bulge. "What?" he practically yells.
"I'm not happy about it either, okay?" She moves past him to start dusting again.
He grabs her arm and spins her back. "So that's it? You're giving up?"
Emma shrugs and tries to turn away again, but he doesn't let her. "What do you want from me, Henry?"
"I want you to care. I want you to give a damn about this family and try to fix it."
Emma knocks his tightening grip off her shoulder. "I do give a damn. If you haven't noticed, Henry, here I stand, trying pretty damn hard to keep it together. For this family. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not giving up. But I'm also not going to shove my love down her throat when she doesn't want it."
"Did she say she doesn't want it?"
Emma rolls her eyes. "When she looked in my eyes and said I don't love you, the message was pretty clear."
Henry steps in front of her when she turns away. "But did she say she doesn't want your love?"
Emma stares at him. "What are you getting at?"
"She had her feelings for you unjustly torn away, and now you're just going to take away the last shred of hope for you two by taking your feelings from her too?"
"So I'm supposed to just pour my love into her and get nothing in return?"
"Yes," Henry shouts back as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.
Emma shakes her head. "Sounds like a pretty raw deal for me." She turns away.
He yanks her back around again. "Yeah, well, it's your fucking fault, so deal with the consequences."
"And there it is," she says through clenched teeth. They stare at each other.