A/N: This is just a small story that I wrote today for reasons which you'll see at the end.
Emma Coolidge stood in front of the mirror smoothing her black dress, making sure that it looked just right. As she was working to clasp the necklace her mother had given her so many years ago around her neck, she noticed her door signaler light up and start to flash in the mirror's reflection.
Removing the unclasped piece of jewelry from around her neck and grasping it in her hands, Emma went to answer the door. On the other side stood Peter Peter Petrelli dressed in his best suit. Neither he nor she spoke a word. Words were not needed in this moment. Their eyes spoke everything for them. Without taking his eyes off Emma, Peter gently took the necklace from her hands and clasped it around her neck when she turned her back to him.
Still no words were spoken as the two walked out of the apartment, their arms linked together. The silence continued as they headed toward their destination, where they encountered similarly dressed people. Family and friends had all gathered to mourn the passing of Teresa Coolidge, Emma's mother.
At the grave site, Emma took the first seat in front of the casket, while Peter took the seat next to her. The rest of Teresa's family and closest friends then filled the remaining seats, while the others stood behind the family. When everyone was settled, the service began.
The minister began by thanking everyone who had come to remember Teresa. A short prayer followed and everyone bowed their heads and closed heir eyes, except for Emma, who kept her eyes on the minister, who both spoke and signed simultaneously for her sake.
When the minister started speaking about her mother, Emma's eyes became wet with tears as she began to cry. When he heard her crying and saw the tears running down her face, a misty-eyed Peter took Emma's hand and held onto it for the rest of the service.
As the service continued, Emma's mind began to fill with memories of her beloved mother. Despite not always seeing eye to eye, her mother had always been there for her. Until Peter, her mother had been the one constant in her life. Her mother had made her strong. Her mother always taught her that just because she was deaf that didn't mean anyone else was better than her.
Emma's heart also came from her mother, and filled it with the ability to hold an abundance of caring and compassion for others. It was because of her mother, who always told her that she could do anything she wanted, that Emma wanted to become a doctor . Before reaching her eleventh birthday, Emma had already decided that she wanted to help people like her mother and be a doctor. Her mother's passing gave Emma a renewed vigor to reapply for her residency to finally become the doctor she'd always dreamed of being.
The most important thing Emma learned from her mother was how to love. It was because of her that she had Peter in her life. Love was never something she expected and she never went looking for it. But ever since that day they watched the children at the hospital sing together and she discovered that he could also see the colors that floated in the air she had felt such a connection to him. A connection that continued to grow stronger with each day, with each moment they spent together. Emma could feel herself starting to fall in love with Peter, and she had her mother to thank for that.
Her mother had given her so much and she was going to miss her greatly. Throughout the entire service tears had continuously rolled down her cheeks. And after the final prayer and the service concluded, everyone stood and Peter wrapped his arms around Emma, letting her know that he was there for her and that she would never be alone.
A/N: This story is dedicated to the mother of my very dear friends who are sisters to me. A woman who was always like a mother to me through the nearly eleven years that we were in each other's lives. A wonderful, strong woman who truly loved her daughters and will forever be proud of them.
For Teresa
Even though I wasn't really yours, you were always proud to claim me as though I were. You let me know that I was loved and made me feel special. Sometimes you were more like a mother to me than my own. I will forever treasure the the memories I have of our time together and will never forget you. In my heart, you will always be a mother to me. I love and miss you so much.