His Miracle

Recurring Nightmare.

Emily's POV

I sometimes dream of being trapped in the room with Jones. I feel the dirt on the floor, I feel the chains wrapped around my wrists and I smell the mildew clinging to the air. I hear his voice as he reveals he's my biological father. I hear my cries as I beg for him to release me and send me home to Jake. The dreams always end with me waking up in a sweat. My breathing turns frenzied and I scramble around in the dark to find Jake sleeping next to me. Sometimes I wake up and I'm back in the hospital. I hear the beeping of the machines, the hustle and bustle of the nurses and I smell the disinfect invading the air. I hear Jake talking to me while I sleep, begging for me to wake up and end his nightmare. The dream ends with me falling through a dark hole, a hole I'm unable to get out of. My hands scramble to hold onto the sides but I begin losing all control.

My eyes fling open and I gasp at the bright lights surrounding me. The dream of waking in a hospital is almost comforting. I've experienced it so many times, I know how it's going to end. Wires cover my body and the striped hospital gown feels cheap and scratchy against my skin. I swallow in an attempt to replace the moisture in my throat. When I turn my head, I find Jake sleeping in the chair next to me. This is usually when he begins begging for me to wake up. I study the lines on his handsome face and his parted lips as he sleeps. Wow, these dreams are becoming incredibly realistic. I lift my hand before examining it. The simple act of lifting my hand causes exhaustion to wash over me. My eyes flutter closed and I release a shallow breath.

"Emily?" Jake stirs beside me before calling out my name.

My lips settle in a thin smile and I slowly turn to look at him. When I move, he leans forward in his seat before grabbing hold of my hand. He lifts it and places a tender kiss on the back of it. His eyes are red, almost as if he's been crying for hours. This is usually how he looks in my dream... Exhausted. Lifeless. Defeated.

"Hey, you," Jake says softly.

He keeps his eyes pinned on our intertwined hands, almost as if he can't bear to make eye contact with me.

"I'm so tired, Jake," I whisper before closing my eyes.

He releases a trembling breath before nodding his head in understanding.

"I know, Muffin. I know you are."

A single tear rolls down his cheek. I want to reach out and wipe it away but my limbs feel like they're weighed down and pinned to the bed.

"Why are you crying?" I ask him.

He clings onto my hand tightly before resting it against his forehead. I can feel the weight of the world resting on his shoulders. When it comes to life, I've never met anyone more laid back than Jake. When it comes to me, he worries too much.

"We need to talk about the baby, Emily."

His words cause me to sit up straight despite the exhaustion I'm experiencing. I frown down at him because my recurring dreams don't usually go like this. In my dreams, Jake doesn't know about the baby. In my dreams, the pregnancy doesn't exist.

"W-what are you talking about?" I whisper the words before looking around the room.

My eyes frantically take in every little detail and a daunting emotion washes over me. I feel a lump lodge itself in the back of my throat.

"I'm not dreaming, am I?" I whisper while looking at him for an answer.

He doesn't look back at me.

"Jake? Why won't you look at me?" I say with panic lining my voice.

"No, you're not dreaming."

His eyes briefly flicker up and I feel the pain exuding from him like he's trapped in his own personal hell. My breathing hitches and I feel like I've been punched straight in the gut.