Hey, I would like to say a very big thank you to everyone who had reviewed. All your comments are greatly appreciated :D

I'm a bit nervous about this chapter, I started writing it a while ago and wasn't sure whether I would ever post it. This is the last flashback and angst filled chapter so I hope you enjoy it and I promise Emma/Henry/Eva moments are coming up next :)

Chapter 26

Seven weeks ago...

Emma quietly huffed in frustration as she tossed and turned uncomfortably on the bed. She had tried for the last hour or so to find a comfortable place to sleep in. However it didn't help that her now very large bump was making it almost impossible to lie anywhere but on her side and she hated sleeping on her side. It had been the same routine for the last few nights; she would find herself being hot, uncomfortable and very frustrated. But above all she found Neal's ability to fall asleep so effortless, infuriating, especially when she was struggling with small amounts of restless sleep at a time.

She tried again to close her eyes but it seemed she wasn't the only one struggling to sleep tonight; it felt like the baby inside her was doing somersaults. Normally at night she hardly felt the baby moving at all but for the last few hours it had continued to kick her unusually hard. "I guess you're having trouble sleeping too?" She whispered quietly and gently rubbed her hand over her swollen belly. The baby kicked hard again beneath the palm of her hand. "I'll take that as a yes."

Emma sighed to herself, she felt so tired and her body was starting to feel uncomfortable again. Slowly she rolled to lie on her other side hoping that would stop the cramp feeling in her legs. However she found her head didn't seem to sit right on the pillow and a sharp pain shot across her lower back. She tried her best to sniff back the tears that were forming in the corner of her eyes. It hurt so much to sleep this way but she was running out of options. Her tears began to soak her pillow and she sobbed silently in the darkness. Over the last few days she had found herself not enjoying her pregnancy at all and yet there were still four more weeks until her due date.

Emma closed her eyes tightly as she tried to ignore the ache in her lower back. It took several minutes for the pain to pass its way through her body. She rubbed away the remaining tears from her red rimmed eyes before she rolled back to her other side again. This was getting ridiculous, she thought to herself.

"Are you okay honey?" Neal whispered, his voice was low and muffled.

Emma had been in so much discomfort that she hadn't noticed that her continuous fidgeting had disturbed Neal from his sleep. "Sort of... I just can't get comfortable." She lied, her whole body was in agony and the baby was not settling down either. She silently hoped that he hadn't heard her crying. The last thing she needed now was to explain to him why she was so upset and honestly she didn't know the reason herself. Her emotions were all over the place.

"The little one keeping you awake?" Neal asked with a smile and placed his arm around her swollen stomach. He brushed his hand over her bump; he would never get use to how incredible it was to feel their baby moving. "The baby is kicking hard tonight." He said as his warm breath tickled the skin on the back of her neck. "Try and get some rest babe." He whispered and moved closer behind her so she could rest her back against his firm chest.

Emma nodded wordlessly, she just felt so relieved to have his help to take the weight off her aching back. She heard him mumble what sounded like 'I love you,' in her ear before he buried his face into her hair. The light sound of his snores filled the room once again. She gazed over at the clock on the bedside table; the time flashed 4:17 AM. She knew they was no chance of her getting back to sleep now; there was no point in trying or torturing herself for a few extra hours.

Emma sighed and gently moved her husband's arm from around her waist. She thought she heard him grumble her name in his sleep before he turned to lie on his other side facing away from her. Carefully she pulled back the blankets and sat up slowly on the bed, she looked over at Neal again just to make sure she hadn't disturbed him.

Slightly relieved that he was still asleep Emma quietly climbed out of the warm bed. She stretched as soon as she stood up. It felt so good to loosen the tight cramped muscles in her body. Though she still felt exhausted there was no way she could have stayed in bed any longer. She looked down at her stomach and to her surprised her hand was still holding her bump protectively. She smiled softly and rubbed her fingers across her belly.

Quietly Emma made her way out of the bedroom and across the hall. The floor was cold beneath her bare feet as she slowly padded her way toward the bathroom. She turned on the bathroom light and closed the door behind her. She quietly grumbled to herself, this was another thing she was starting to dislike about her pregnancy, the need to go to the toilet every hour or so.

As if hearing their mother's thoughts the baby kicked again. "Oh, I'm sorry," she smiled and rubbed her hand in a circle round her bump. Despite her miserable tired mood she couldn't help but feel love for the little life growing inside her. She felt another annoyed kick in her stomach. It seemed her baby was feeling restless too. She lightly brushed her hand over her belly as the baby continued to turn awkwardly inside her. "What's gotten into you this morning?" She asked and raised her eyebrow questionably at her bump. She felt another thump from her baby in response. Something wasn't right.

Emma placed both hands on her large bulge. "What is it? What's wrong?" She asked quietly. Her fingertips created small soothing circles along the swell of her stomach. A small smile graced her lips when the baby started to settle down. But it didn't last for too long, before she even had chance to sigh in relief the baby kicked firmly again beneath the palm of her hand. The smile fell almost instantly from her face when she felt a sharp ribbing pain across the front of her round stomach.

Emma felt her breath hitch in the back of her throat. Her hands clutched her bump tightly as the tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She leaned against the bathroom sink when her body doubled over painfully. She tried to catch her breath as she waited several minutes for the pain to subside. She turned the cold tap on and splashed water over her face. It was just a false alarm, it's okay now. She thought to herself though she wasn't entirely convinced.

Just as her breathing seemed to return to normal another severe pain shot down her back. Her hands gripped on to the edge of the sink for support. She held on so tightly that her knuckles turned white from the pressure. The tears started to fall thick and fast down her cheeks. She knew exactly what this pain meant, she had been here before. The dread began to form in the pit of her stomach. This couldn't be happening, there was at least four weeks before her due date.

No! It was too soon! Emma refused to let herself believe that the pain she was feeling was contractions, not till she knew for sure. Slowly she looked up and stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. She looked awful, her face was now pale, her eyes had turned red and there were tear stains down her cheeks. The face staring back wasn't her, it belonged to the terrified eighteen year old girl she had tried her best to forget.

Suddenly it felt that world had come to an abrupt halt. Emma was frozen to the spot as her entire body trembled. The only sound that could be heard was the short gasps of her sobs as she tried to breathe. She swallowed thickly as the tears continued to flow relentlessly down her cheeks.

"Neal..." She desperately tried to call out her husband's name but her voice was barely above a whisper. She knew there was no chance of him hearing her cries, she had to do something. She struggled to push herself up from the sink, her whole body felt too light and too heavy at the same time and her legs were shaking beneath her. She tried again to call out for Neal but her voice caught in the back of her throat as yet another wave of pain ripped across her stomach.

Very slowly her body sank down to cold floor. Emma curled her arms around her swollen bump as her body slowly rocked back and forth, the pain was unbearable. Her eyes squeezed tightly together, her hitched breath was the only sound in the caustic silence. She couldn't do this, not here, not like this; she couldn't have her baby on the floor of their bathroom alone.

Neal opened his eyes slowly and yawned. He was still tired but it felt like something was trying to wake him up. He untangled his arms from underneath his body and stretched out. His hand went almost instantly towards Emma's side of the bed. Neal eyes jolted open wide when his hand met empty blankets. "What the… Emma?" He called out. Uneasy feeling began to grow in the pit of his stomach when he heard no reply from her.

Emma was still crouched on the floor with her hands cradling her swollen belly. She had frozen in complete shock and fear as she tried to take in what was about to come, she was going to have her baby. She took another deep shuddering breath. I need you to hold on baby. Please hold on. She silently pleaded to herself. It wasn't meant to happen this way.

Her face twisted in agony as another painful contraction hit her body, but this time the pain was unbearable, "Neal!" She screamed out finally finding her voice. The bathroom lights began to flicker above her as her breathing become erratic, no matter how much she pleaded the baby wasn't going to wait.

"Emma?" Neal called out as he came crashing through the bathroom door. His eyes widen in panic when he saw his wife lying on the bathroom floor. The agony in her eyes was almost impossible to hide. How long had she been like this? They stared into one another eyes silently for moment as the tears continued to roll down Emma's cheeks.

"Neal, the baby... It's coming..." Emma managed to choke out as her face scrunched up with agonizing pain. "It's too soon..." She gasped. Her green eyes were wide with fear. She cried out and gripped her bump again when her body was hit by another strong contraction.

Neal stood motionless as his brain tried to comprehend what his wife had just told him. No their baby couldn't be on its way, it was far too soon. He watched as Emma let out another cry of pain before her eyes fell to the floor. He followed her gaze and stared down at the wet puddle beneath her feet. Emma's waters had broken. It wasn't a false alarm, Emma was about to have their baby.

The sounds of his wife's cries made him snap out of his own state of confusion. He rushed over to her and knelt on the floor beside her. Neal didn't know what to do, their baby was on the way and there were no words to explain how terrified he was. He had always thought when the time came he would follow Emma's lead but now he could see she was as scared as him.

Neal moved his hand to her back and rubbed it gently. This was the only way he could think of to comfort her. "It's okay honey I'm here." He took her hand in his and squeezed it gently while the other continued to rub her back anxiously. Emma couldn't have their baby here on the bathroom, he had to get her to a hospital and quickly. He moved his hand from her back to her check and softly brushed away her tears. "Em, honey," he paused. Neal knew he would be no good to her in a panic so took a moment to breathe. "We're going to get you to a hospital, everything will be okay, I promise." He whispered and brushed his hand over her cheek again.

"Mom, Dad... What's going on?" Neal looked over his shoulder to see Henry standing in the doorway just as Emma let out another scream of pain. "Henry, I need you to listen to me okay? I need you to go get my phone and call your grandparents. Tell them Emma is having the baby and to meet us at the hospital... Henry?" He called his son's name again to gain his attention.

"Will Mom and the baby be okay?" Henry asked nervously his eyes were filling with tears as he watched his mother wrap her arms tightly around her bump again.

"They will be fine, I promise." Neal smiled weakly. Henry tried to return his father's smile before he turned around and quickly made his way down the hall.

Once Henry was out sight Neal turned back to face Emma. He gently placed the palm of his hand on her cheek and tilted her head back so he could look into her eyes. "Emma." He whispered softly. His brown eyes looked deeply into her green ones. "I need you to take deep breaths okay. Everything will be okay honey. I just need you to stay calm." He spoke with a sense of urgency to his voice as his eyes searched hers. Somehow his brain was now finally kicking into gear as he thought of a plan to get them to hospital.

Emma looked into his warm brown eyes, she could see they were full of concern and panic though he was trying his best to hide it from her. She tightened her grip on him and whimpered in pain. "Neal, the baby..." She cried. Something was wrong and she knew it. The amount of pain she was feeling wasn't right, it hadn't felt like this last time. "Neal," she gasped and clutched at her stomach again. "There is something wrong with the baby." The tears were falling rapidly down her cheeks.

"Emma listen to me," He cupped his palm to her cheek again. "Everything is okay and I won't let everything happen to you or our baby, I promise." He gently placed his other hand on her bump before softly kissing her forehead. Neal watched as the faintest smile formed on Emma's lips at his words. He let out a small breath of relief and mirrored her smile. "Come on let's get you to the hospital."

In one swift move Neal jumped to his feet, he encircled his arms gently around her shoulders and carefully lifted Emma off the cold bathroom floor. He felt her lean helplessly against his chest as she tried to stand upright. He staggered for a moment as he tried to balance the full weight of his wife's body at his side. He carefully placed an arm around her shoulders as he heaved them along out of the bathroom.

7.15am

Emma's deafening scream filled the room as her entire upper body lifted up off the bed only to helplessly crash back down again. Her hair was damp and her face plastered with sweat as she panted breathlessly for air.

"You're doing great Emma, I can see the head." Dr Whale called out from the bottom of the bed. "At the next contraction I want you to push as hard as you can."

Emma looked up towards Neal; her eyes were wide with fear and glistened with tears. "Neal…" She cried and shook her head weakly, "I can't… I can't do this…" She sobbed and held his hand tightly. Neal squeezed her hand back and looked deeply into her tear filled eyes. "Yes you can, Emma you can do this." He placed his hand to her cheek. "There is nothing you can't do," he smiled softly.

Emma shook her head again frantically. "But it's too soon." She cried. "Please Neal… Please make it stop..." She screamed again as another contraction hit her body. He hated seeing his wife in so much pain and yet there was nothing he could do to take it away.

Neal glanced down at Dr Whale nervously. "Emma, I need you to push." Whale urged. The baby wasn't going to wait.

"Honey, you can do this I know you can. Do it for the baby, our baby." Neal took hold of her hand again. "Come on Emma push." He encouraged as the tears began to fill his eyes.

Emma let out another ear-piercing scream as she finally gave into her body's instinct to push. She was still shaking her head in refusal as she pushed down hard. Neal held her hand tightly. It felt like his heart was breaking as he watched the terror appear on her face as she fought through the pain to bring their baby into the world. Then suddenly Emma came crashing back down to the bed.

A loud cry filled the room. "It's a girl!" Dr Whale called out.

Neal let out a gasp of relief and joy. "You did it Emma! A girl! We have a girl." He grinned excitedly and stared down at her exhausted, tear-stained face. He placed a kiss on top of her head. "I love you... I love you so much," He whispered and pressed his forehead against hers.

A quiet hush fell over the room. Emma could see Neal and hospital staff's mouths moving as they talked however all she could hear was an unsettling silence. She felt Neal place a small kiss on top of her hair as he whispered something into her ear, but again she heard nothing. She couldn't bring herself to look at him, so instead she struggled to sit herself up on the bed.

She was unable to shake this feeling of unease in the pit of her stomach, surely she feel happy or even relief that her baby girl was here and that she was okay. However it felt as though someone had torn out her heart from her chest and that she was falling slowly to ground.

Then suddenly her eyes caught sight of the small crying baby in Whale's arms as he gently wrapped her up in a blanket. She kept her eyes fixed on the tiny bundle as Whale made his way towards her.

Emma felt her insides curl in panic when he placed her daughter in her arms. There was no warmth or relief in her eyes as she looked at her beautiful little girl for the first time. All she felt was emptiness as the tears began to trickle silently down her face.