The Way We Were

Chapter 6

Warning: This chapter includes situations that are mentioned dealing with alcoholism and drugs. It may be triggering to some, so read with caution.

Sunlight trickled in through the pulled blinds, emitting shadows across the floor. There was the sound of wheels rolling by on the linoleum floor, most likely the lunch cart making its rounds. Emma laid curled up in under the scratchy blankets she was given, wishing she were dead.

Everything hurt. Her head, her stomach, her back. She had a slight fever, and she was shivering. Sweat covered her body in a light sheen, and the room spun every time she opened her eyes.

The doctors explained it was just the normal part of detox, that she would get worse before she got better. Then they had given her all types of pills to help speed up the process; sedatives, Tylenol, pills to reduce the hallucinations that would most likely plague her. It was now day 3, and things didn't seem to be getting any better.

But Emma suffered with quiet strength. She was doing this for her sons, her mother, even Regina. Most of all, she was doing this for herself. She would not continue to live a life that revolved around partying anymore. Sure, she had Henry at a young age and missed out on the normal things people her age did, but she had made the decision to keep her son. Now it was time for her to grow up and be the mother her kids deserved.

A light rapping on the door caught her attention. The blonde weakly lifted her head before laying back down. She wasn't going to waste her strength.

"Emma?" A man's voice softly echoed throughout the room. It was Heath, her personal psychiatrist.

Emma shifted underneath her blankets to let him know that she was here. Although he most likely knew that already, as Emma had refused to leave her room since she arrived. Heath was nice enough, but she just wanted to be left alone.

"I brought you a grilled cheese and your afternoon meds. How are you feeling today?"

Emma brought the blanket up over her head, shadowing herself in darkness. Although some people are petrified of being constricted in such a way, the act always seemed to calm her. Under the blanket with her breaths warming the small space, Emma felt secure. When she was little, it always chased the monsters away. That, and her father claimed he would defeat them with his sword if one dared to harm his little girl.

The young woman heard Heath sigh. She hadn't been the friendliest person since she arrived; she simply wanted help and then wanted out so she could return to her family. But her real treatment hadn't even begun. The doctors said she had to be fully detoxed before they began therapy.

"Emma I need you to sit up and eat something. I even brought you some chocolate milk to wash down the meds," the man said.

Emma curled even tighter into her ball. She hadn't known they would treat her like some sort of mental person when she signed the consent form. She hated the medications; they made her feel drowsy and foggy. How was she supposed to get better when they were pumping her full of tranquilizers? And the grilled cheese the kitchen staff made didn't even compare to Regina's. It tasted stale and rubbery. Bleh.

Tears filled her eyes as her brain yet again reminded her of the divorce papers sitting untouched in her bag. Nothing would be the same even when she did return home. She still will have lost everything. Henry wanted nothing to do with her, and Regina had finally given up. Not that Emma blamed her.

"Emma if you don't sit up, I'm going to have to send a doctor in to administer your medications. That will set your release date back even further. You want to get back home to Henry and Roland, don't you?" Heath said.