Forever Yours

Chapter Sixteen

Emma Swan

My body flung forward in bed, gasping for air as my muscles trembled in sheer panic. Regina jerked awake as I continued to struggle for oxygen to break through the constricting walls within my lungs. A warm gentle hand rested upon my back, instantly calming all my fears.

"Emma? What's wrong? Is it the baby?" She softly spoke into the night trying to ease my frantic state.

"I-just, the baby's fine. It's not him," I stammered while taking in a few sharp breaths.

"Okay," her hand began rubbing soothing circles against my back knowing that the baby and I were safe. "You're soaked in sweat, are you sure you're okay?"

"I am. I promise. Just a nightmare," I explained between my deep breaths.

Regina climbed out of bed and stumbled across the floor as if she were intoxicated, most likely from the lack of light and her sleepy state. She opened her dresser drawer and pulled out an oversized shirt. She climbed back into bed while I peeled the dampened shirt from my body, understanding her request.

"Thank you," I muttered as she offered me the shirt. I slipped the dry material over my head while Regina pulled my long locks out from the back. Her light touch caused my flesh to breakout in goosebumps while I shivered from my damp skin.

Regina slowly laid back down in the bed. "Come lay down," she suggested through a raspy, over tired voice. I obliged and slid back down into the warmth of the sheets. "Do you want to talk about your nightmare?" Her fingers skimmed across my cheek until they found some stray locks and swept them behind my ear. Sometimes I believe that maybe she can feel the same way about me by the way she gazes into my eyes alone.

"I'm eight months pregnant and I'm not prepared. I don't have a crib or a car seat yet. Can I really do this? Be a mother?" I rambled as all my fears came pouring out of my mouth without a filter.

"Em, this is common. I read this is your nesting period. Every mom has that dream where they feel unprepared and they clean and organize obnoxiously hoping to settle their anxiety about the baby."

"See, even you read the baby books! How am I going to do this?" I whined while burying my face against her chest, to hide away from my cruel reality.

"Emma, I promise, you're going to be an excellent mother. Remember how guarded and broken I was when we first met?"

"You're still guarded."

"With strangers, yes, but with you I'm not. That's because you showed me how much you cared for me. You're going to show this baby so much love. I promise, that's all that truly matters when it comes to being a mother and your heart is so big, he's going to feel overwhelmed with love." I sigh and fight back my tears as she holds me close to soothe my haunting fears. "How about tomorrow we spend the day shopping for the rest of the stuff this baby needs, hmmm?"

Regina places her hand against my enormous baby bump inspiring my son to kick her hand.

"I guess he agrees with you."

Regina rubs lightly against the spot my baby just kicked. His foot pops out again like some alien trying to escape my body. I laugh to myself at how weird this actually looks as his protruding foot glides across my stomach.

"I cannot wait to me this cutie," Regina admits while her hand chases the wandering foot.

"Do you think he'll have Neal's hair color?"

Regina's hand continues to play some game of tag with my son's foot with a permanent smile across her lips.

"Maybe. I hope he inherits your gorgeous green eyes. We need more people in this world with green eyes," she replies never once tearing her eyes away from her game with my baby.