viii. twenty degrees fahrenheit

━ ❝ her best dreams and worst nightmares have the same people in them. ❞

━━━━━ ✦ ✧ ━━━━━

TERESA SHOT UP in her bed with a loud gasp that practially echoed off the walls. Immediately, her hand flew up to hold her chest, where she felt her heart beating rapidly, almost too fast for a heartbeat. But the pain wasn't there. It no longer felt like someone was ripping her soul to shreds. She looked down upon herself, expecting to see the same forest green dress she was wearing on her first date, yet she found pajamas. She wasn't dressed up at all. Henry wasn't even with her. She looked around and seen that she was in her bedroom. Not only that, but her room was cold as ice, not like she noticed given her compatibility. In fact, her window was sparkling with frosty ice and it appeared to be snowing outside. Yet it was autumn and not yet winter.

"It was just a dream," she spoke shakily, sounding relieved. "It was just a dream."

No matter how many times she repeated the same five words to herself, her body continued to tremble. Then, suddenly, her door burst open and David fell to the floor. It was obvious he had been trying to break into her room for several minutes, yet her powers had forbid him from doing so. The lock had been frozen.

Snow gasped and bent down to assist her husband, whom held his shoulder in pain as she helped him up from the floor. When she looked upon Teresa, she found the teenage girl trembling on her bed. Her skin was layered in a thin layer of sweat that made her skin shine and her hair to stick to her neck and face. Her eyes, both red and glossy, were spilling tears down her cheeks. And her breathing was heavy, scared. Pained? The image of Henry's pained expression was playing on an endless loop in Teresa's mind, frightening her to her very core.

The sight caused Snow's heart to clench, as she had never seen her friend like this. Ever. "Oh Teri," she frowned. She began to approach Teresa and knelt down on the bed beside her. Her teeth chattered as she enveloped the teenager into her arms; Teresa's entire body was the same temperature as the room and her skin only made Snow more cold. But in that moment she didn't seem to care, as she soothed the trembling archer in a motherly way, whispering soothing things into her ear.

David stood by, watching in silence and shivering slightly.

Eventually, Teresa's trembling ceased. Snow pulled back and cupped her face, wiping away every tear visible. "What happened?"

"It was just a dream," Teresa repeated, as if those were the only words she knew right now. She can't seem to recall how many times she had uttered them in such a short period of time. It could have been dozens for all she knew. She was too haunted by the pain she felt and the expression of pure agony that was plastered on her boyfriends face to remember.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Snow asked. "I mean, Teri ... you made it snow in all of Storybrooke. It's twenty degrees outside and not even Halloween yet."

Teresa's eyes widened. "I-I did?"

Snow nodded, her worried frown still ever so present. She reached forward to tuck Teresa's damp strands of hair behind her ears. "Why don't you get in the shower? We can talk when you get. Or perhaps later, if you want?"

Teresa stayed silent as she nodded. Even if she did want to talk about it, it's not like she even could. It has been nearly three days since she ran into Mary Poppins, which meant for those three days, she had been keeping the ultimate secret between herself, Mary and Regina. No one knew still other than themselves, and it was beginning to take its affect on her. Every second of every day, she found herself thinking about whether or not her food or drink had been poisoned. Or if Henry's had. She made sure she was the only one to cook and serve Henry his food when they ate at Granny's. But even then she was too scared to consume anything. Because if she did when Henry had already been slipped the potion without her knowledge, what would happen? Would their hearts really stop beating like Mary had told them? She didn't want to find out.

The teenager slipped from her bed and began heading towards the bathroom, passing by David on her way. She closed the bathroom door, turned on the shower to the coldest temperature possible, as a nice, cool shower always seemed to calm her nerves, and she stepped beneath the showerhead to wash away the sweat and tears that still clung to her skin.

─────

When Henry woke up to his alarm clock blaring, he had been surprised to find his toes were so numb. With one look to the frost covered windows in his bedroom, his heart lept from his chest and his entire body was consumed by confusion. His first thoughts being: Was this Hyde? Then, immediately, came the worried thoughts for Teresa. Only one person in Storybrooke possessed such magic and his girlfriend just so happened to be that one person.

He had never gotten dressed and ready for school so quickly. He didn't even eat the breakfast his mother had made him. Instead, he grabbed one of the bright red apples displayed in a bowl on the counter and ate it while running several blocks towards his grandparents house. Regina had called after him but eventually understood where he was going. So she got in her car and followed him, calling him into the warmth of the car and the pair headed towards the Charmings residence together.

By the time they got there, Henry was due to go to school in twenty minutes time, yet the teenage boy didn't seem to care as he jumped out of the car before his mother could even put it in park. He moved fast up the stairs╶ the bitter cold air stinging at his exposed skin and making his cheeks flush╶ and didn't even bother to knock as he burst in through the door. He took in the scene rather quickly, watching as his grandparents moved smoothly around the kitchen, cooking breakfast and preparing for their day, without Teresa even in sight. He noticed how much colder their house seemed to be. In fact, it felt even colder than his own and the outside air put together, meaning this frosty weather had indeed been Teresa Holmes' doing, afterall. But why? She always had control over herself.

Out of breath, he asked, "Where is she?"

Snow sighed. She crossed the kitchen so as to tell him, and to also close the door after Regina stepped inside. "She's in the shower."

Regina raised a brow in question as she stuffed her hands into her coat. "Any particular reason as to why she decided to make it snow in October?"

"She had a nightmare. I'm not exactly sure what it was about, but considering she's had nightmares before and never made it snow, this one couldn't have been good."

Regina realized quickly what had been the cause of Teresa's night terror; she adverted her gaze and knawed on the inside of her cheek to╶ hopefully╶ avoid being questioned by the always curious Snow White. She made a mental note to speak with Teresa later, for it was clear now that their secret was eating the poor girl alive.

"Can I╶ "

"Henry," Regina interrupted before he could climb the stairs. "Perhaps you should let Teresa have some time alone. Night terrors sometimes haunt us, and maybe what she needs right now is to be alone. Besides, you have to get to school anyway."

Henry frowned. All he wanted was to hold her hand and see if she is okay. "But╶ "

"Your mother is right," Snow agreed as she reached for her purse hanging by the door. "I'm going to be late myself╶ I'll drive you, Henry."

Regina had to force a small onto her face as she leaned in close to place a kiss to her son's forehead. It was killing her, that look in his eye. All he wanted to do was see if his soulmate was alright, but they were forbidding him of doing so. She felt the guilt settle in as she thought back on Alice and she would have done anything to get passed the people standing in her way of seeing the one she loves.

Henry reluctantly nodded, even though it was killing him to hear the water switch off. She was done and so close, yet so far away from his being that he was itching to just hold her hand. He looked across the room to where his grandfather stood in the kitchen with baby Neal on his hip and sighed. "Will you tell her I'll come by later?"

David nodded, his features softening. "Of course."

─────

Teresa was hesitant to go downstairs and show her face, but she knew she had to. After looking at the clock, she realized that David was already late to meet and patrol the streets with Emma. Snow, she figured, had already left for work. She couldn't be selfish, she had to babysit Neal. When she got down stairs, she found David sitting at the table with baby Neal, who was sitting in his highchair and eating his breakfast from a small, colorful bowl. Teresa guessed it was applesauce judging by the substance and color.

As soon as David heard her slippers scuff against the hardwood floor, he looked up from his son. His face softened and he hesitated before asking, "How are you?"

Teresa let out a deep breath. She honestly want to talk about it at all, but knew that she would be bombarded with questions the moment she seen them again. She could only imagine what it would be like with Snow later.

"I'm alright," she eventually replied. Then she asked, "why haven't you left for work?"

"I figured I'd let you have the day off."

"David, I'm fine. Really. You don't need to miss work because I had a nightmare. Besides, Emma can't patrol the streets all by herself." She was staring at him in almost a pleading way. She knew if he stayed, then all she would think about is her nightmare. But if she was babysitting, Neal would occupy her mind. She needed to babysit. She'd lock David out of the house if it came down to it.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Go, I'll be fine. And so will Neal."

"Alright," he sighed. As he began collecting his things, he paused for a moment to look her way. "Henry stopped by."

Those three words caused her to almost fall out of her chair. Her eyes widened and she looked up to meet his worried, blue eyes. "What?"

"He came by while you were in the shower. He was really worried about you," David revealed, causing her heart to gallop in her chest. Henry had come to the house. Did he ... know? Had Regina told him? Or did he simply come by to visit from concern after witnessing the snow storm she conjured up during the night?

"O-Okay," she eventually responded. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and nodded, forcing a smile onto her face.

Not much later did David kiss his son on the top of his head, grab his jacket and keys before leaving. Teresa let out a sigh as soon as the door shut. She turned to face Neal, who was trying and failing to get a spoon full of his applesauce. With a light chuckle, she reached over and grabbed the spoon from his tiny fist and began helping him eat.

"You made a mess," Teresa said, observing the food that was all over himself. "Did you even get any in your mouth?" In response, she got a smile. It was infectious and made her grin. "I'm taking that as a no," she laughed.

Teresa began feeding him, whilst occasionally munching on an orange slice Snow must have laid out for her since she knew Teresa loved them. Once Neal's tiny stomach was full, she lifted him from his highchair and began heading for the stairs.

The door to Neal's nursery was always open, so Teresa strolled in and approached the changing table. After stripping the baby of his clothing that was now stained with applesauce, she began she clean him up with some wipes, then tossed his dirty clothes in his hamper. She even used his baby brush to comb his thin, brown locks. All the while, Neal was letting out adorable little giggles that were completely infectious and had Teresa giggling along with him, despite the horror she had witnessed during her slumber.

When the toddler was clean and in a fresh diaper, the dirty one having been disposed of in the nearby trash bin, Teresa began rifling through his drawers for a fresh outfit.

"What're you thinking Neal? A onesie or some pants?" Teresa asked while holding up an outfit in each of her hands. When Neal's foot connected with the pants, she nodded. "Good choice." She put his tiny legs through the jeans before lifting him up to stand. She allowed him to lean against her as she pulled the pair of jeans up and over his diaper. She then placed him back onto the changing table and grabbed the red shirt. She first put it over his head, which, of course, made him giggle some more.

"I swear, you're always happy," Teresa said with a smile as she pulled his arms through the sleeves and shuffled the shirt down his tiny torso. "But I suppose that is a good thing, isn't it? Maybe it has something to do with your parents. They are Snow White and Prince Charming, afterall."

She lifted Neal up so he was standing on his own, her hands resting beneath his armpits. "How about we play with some toys, huh?" She then chuckled to herself. "Why is it that people speak to babies as if they will respond. Come on, little one, let's go."

Teresa lifted Neal so he was resting on her hip, and she headed down the hall to her bedroom. As she walked down the stairs, she couldn't help but smile lightly at the amount of family portraits that were scattered all over the wall. Some were of before Teresa had been brought to Storybrooke, of Snow and David with Emma, of Henry with his grandparents, of Henry with both his mothers. Teresa's favorite, though, had to be the one of Alice, Regina, Snow and Emma. Regina's face was so bright and full of happiness, and it was because the day the picture was taken was one of Regina's most precious days: Her engagement day. According to Snow, Regina not only loved and lost Alice, but they were going to get married, too.

Teresa felt even more sad for Regina when she found of the reason for the immense happiness in the portrait, for all the poor woman wanted was some happiness in her cruel, cruel life. Sure, Regina had her son, but that is not the kind of love she desperately wanted and deserved.

When Teresa reached the last step of the staircase, she turned the corner and headed for the living room, where she immediately pulled out the floor mat from the playpen and laid it and baby Neal down on the floor. She turned on the television, switching it to a certain channel so she could watch the show called Grey's Anatomy that she was now obsessed with, all thanks to Snow and David and their love for it. She pulled out a few toys as well, and began to shake the various amount of noisy toys for Neal, just so she could see his smile and hear his delightful giggles. And for a little while, his giggles and smiles actually made her forget her nightmare.

─────

You guys didn't really think I was going to sever their bond did you?? I mean, we haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet, you guys!