I could feel warm sunlight on my face as I stirred awake. The light was turning the inside of my eyelids a dark red and I took in a deep breath before opening my eyes. I could smell fresh grass and I heard a river bubbling close by. Where was I?
When I finally got around to opening my eyes, I looked cautiuosly around me to see that I was in a small clearing surrounded by many tall trees that were giving me plenty of shade. I could hear birds high up in the branches and squirrels running around somewhere nearby.
But overall, I felt this immense feeling of peace. Like this was where I was supposed to be. I sighed in contentment as I looked down to see that I was in a beautiful, long, white dress and I was barefoot. I saw that I had a flat stomach but seeing that felt wrong to me.
This bothered me. Nothing should be wrong in this place. This was a peaceful place, full of happiness. But still, my flat stomach just felt...different. Like it should be bigger. But who would want a bigger stomach?
I stood up and spinned in a slow circle to take in my surroundings. This place was so beautiful and I never wanted to leave. I smiled as I started to walk around. I exited the clearing and entered the thick woods. I laughed as a little gray rabbit ran right in front of me and quickly jumped down his hole. About fifty yards away, I could see a deer nibbling on the dark green grass that covered everything.
I don't know how long I wandered around before I came to a large field filled with tall grass and dotted here and there with flowers of ever color. I gasped as I took in the beauty before me and walked forward, running my hands over the grass. I giggled when the flowers tickled my hands. I got to where I was guessing was the middle of the field. The sun was directly above me but it wasn't too hot. It was a comfortable heat.
I started to spin in a cirlce, dancing to the melody of the animals and bugs around me. I spun and I spun, but I never got dizzy. I only felt more happiness. This was where I would live forever.
At that thought, I came to a stop and gasped. Live here? Why did that feel so wrong? Was there somewhere else I was supposed to be?
"Yes, my little one. There is."
I twisted around when I heard a voice talk to me. I had thought I was the only one here but when i turned, I saw a woman that I instantly recognized even though she was much older when I last saw her.
"Grammy Rose!" I exclaimed as I ran towards her.
She smiled wide as she took me in her arms and held me tight. "Oh, my little Brooke. It is so good to see you, dear."
Grammy Rose was my father's mother but she had passed away when I was fifteen. She had always been there for me and would cook for me whenever my parents got insufferable. "Food, in the right amounts, will always calm the soul, Brookie-babe," she always used to say.
I leaned back and looked at her. She looked just like she did in her wedding photos from so many years ago. She was wearing a long, yellow sundress and was barefoot like me. Her red hair, like mine, was flowing down past her shoulders and it glowed in this light. She looked absolutely gorgeous.
I smiled at her. "Grammy, what are we doing here? What is this place? I love it."
Her face was young, but her eyes were old and they told stories even I hadn't heard. She gave me a sad smile as she wrapped and arm around my shoulder and started walking with me across the field. "Many would call this Heaven, Dearie, but not all. It is a peaceful place the dead go to rest."
I stopped suddenly and looked at her with wide eyes. "I'm...dead?!"
I took a step back and held my head in my hands. I couldn't be dead! But that explained why Grammy was here and why I felt that something was wrong in this place of serenity. I looked down at my flat stomach trying so hard to remember why it should be bigger.
Grammy Rose put a comforting hand on my shoulder and another on my stomach. When she touched me, I instantly remembered everything. A wave of memories flashed before my eyes in a matter of seconds: meeting Jimmy, Jimmy dragging me around everywhere as kids, Me trying to get Jimmy to move out of the laundromat. I remembered how sad he looked when I left for college, how happy he was that I was back. I remembered our first kiss, our dates, his proposal, and our beautiful wedding. I felt tears fall from my eyes as the memories came through of me first learning that I was pregnant, learning we were going to have twins and planning out the names in secrecy with my husband. Finally, it came to the last one of me in the hospital giving birth to Dominic and Amaya. The last thing I saw was Jimmy's smiling face before it all went black.
I inhaled sharply as my eyes flew open and Grammy removed her hands. My babies! I was here and there were out there without their mother. Jimmy would be so lost without me. I knew he loved me more than almost anything. What was going to happen to my perfect little family if I was gone?
I looked up at Grammy Rose with tear filled eyes. "No I can't be dead! I have babies! Jimmy needs me! I HAVE to go back! Please dont let me be dead." I collapsed into the grass and started to cry and cry.
My Grammy knelt down next to me and was rubbing my back, softly. "Shh, my baby. It's not as bad as it seems. Your poor little heart gave out because of the drugs that clashed in your system. But do not fear, Brooke. You're not dead."
My head shot up. "I'm...I'm not dead."
She shook her head and gave me a small smile. "No, dearest. Your body still sleeps but your soul is free to go wherever you want."
"I'm in a coma?" I asked and Grammy nodded.
"Yes," she said. "But you cannot enter your body again until it is ready. For now, you can stay here or go back to your world."
I didn't hesitate to answer. "I want to go back. Even if it's not in my body, I want to see Jimmy. I want to see my children."
She nodded slightly, but her smile faded. "You have to remember that your body make take some time to be ready. And you will not be able to touch or speak those that you love."
I looked down at my hands. I wouldn't be able to hold my babies in my hands. They would not feel their mother's warmth for a long time. I couldn't sleep next to Jimmy or play around with our friends. But I still had to see them. I couldn't stay here any longer knowing I could still be with my family.
I looked up at her and nodded once. "I've made up my mind."
*JImmy's POV*
I was pacing back and forth in the ER waiting room, too worried to sit. The guys were sitting with their women, holding them tight except for Johnny who had made a run to the cafeteria. But I couldn't eat even if I wanted to. What if I was losing my wife? We had two beautiful babies who she hadn't seen yet.
I don't know how long we had been waiting, but when I finally saw the doctor come out of the double doors, I quickly ran up to them. I heard the others come up behind me but I was more interested in what the doctor had to say. This was the moment of truth.
The doctor was ringing his hands over and over and sighed. "Well we managed to save her." There was a colective sigh of relief that was cut short when he raised up his hand. "But, she has slipped into a coma. We're not sure when she will wake up."
Brian stepped up beside and wrapped his arm over my shoulder. "What caused this?"
"The most reasonable explanation is that with the drugs that her kidnapper had kept her on clashed with the ones we gave her. Coupled with the stress of her labor, her body gave up," the doctor said, looking down at his feet.
"I want to see her," I said quickly.
The doctor nodded, told the rest of the guys to stay here as i followed him down the hallway. When we got to the small room that she was in, I nearly cried at the sight. My so very strong Brooke looked so small and pale. She was hooked up to so many machines and her bright red hair was the only color in the room. I walked up to her and held her small hand in mine. I leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"Come back to me, Brookie. I need you. I can't do this with out you, Brooke. Please do not leave us." I whispered against her skin. I don't know how long I stood there before I finally stood up and faced the doctor. "I want to see my children," I said.
He nodded and I followed him out of the room and down a hallway until we came to a large window in the wall. On the other side of the window, I saw the nursery and only my babies were there. They were each wrapped in small hospital blanket and in the same little bed together. I asked the doctor why that was and he smiled.
"It was the only way they would stop crying," he said. "They needed to be to next to each other to calm down."
I smiled and looked at our beautiful babies. I felt a lump in my throat when I thought that Brooke wasn't next to me, able to see what we had created.
"I want to hold them," I said and I followed him into the nursery. I stood over where the were laying and ran my hand down each of their faces, softly. They stirred a little but stayed asleep.
A nurse came over to me and picked up Amaya and handed her to me. I held her to me and rocked back and forth gently. This was my little girl. Daddy's little girl. I almost started to cry again when the nurse handed Dominic over for me to hold on my other arm.
He yawned a little and I smiled. Even though he was small and wrinkly, I saw so much of me in his face. My little Dominic.
I looked between both of my children and promised that i would always be there for them.
"Always," I whispered.

Notes

Hi guys :)
I'm soooooooooooo sorry about how long it took me to update but here it is. And I made it a long one so you wouldn't hate me.
Comments and cookies, my loves <3