"I hate you mom!" A little girl with brunette hair and big blue eyes yelled at me. It wasn't really me though, I looked like my mother, wearing a pencil skirt and stilettos, my hair was cut into a bob and I wore sunglasses. "Don't talk to me like that." I said and typed on my phone. "God! Pay attention to me. This is why dad left you! I want to go live with him." I rolled my eyes, "don't talk about your father. You know better than that." I cringed at my own voice and my own carelessness. I wanted to go and hit myself. Was this my child? Why was I treating her like this? Just then there was a knock on the door. "Dad!! Come in here!" The girl yelled and a man rushed in. He looked like Colby but older. My breath was taken away at the look of hate he gave me. "What did you do to her?" He spat out and glared at me. My heart clenched in my chest but the version of me I was looking at didnt seem to care. "Nothing Colby. Take her and leave." I said and rolled my eyes. "What happened to you." He said coldly and looked at me. "Nothing happened to me." I mumbled and poured a glass of wine. "Bullshit. You somehow did it. You finally made me hate you. You gave up on yourself Cora! You became your mother!" He yelled as the young girl covered her ears, tears falling from her cheeks. "I did not!" The hideous version of me yelled back. "Come on sweetie. Let's go." Colby said to the young girl and glared at me again.

I woke up, tears streaming down my face. I clutched my chest as I gasped for air. Colby wasn't in the room anymore, giving me more pain. I never wanted that dream to come true. I never wanted to be my mother, and seeing myself like that made my heart break. I sobbed, gasping for air as I heard someone walk down the hallway. I held my hand to my mouth trying to muffle the sobs. It clearly didn't work, because Sam opened the door, "Cora?" He said cautiously, then scanned the room before looking at me. "Hey hey..it's okay...COLBY!" He yelled and ran to the side of the bed. I was sobbing hysterically, clawing my throat, trying to get air. Sam rubbed my back gently as Colby slammed the door open, running in,

"Cora baby...what's happening?" He spoke frantically and grabbed my hands, I gasped and quickly snatched my hands from his so I could wrap my arms tightly around his neck. "It's okay baby..shh...it's okay." He whispered as he wrapped his arms around me. I heard Sam walk to the door, and close it, he stood there watching for a minute, "I'm gonna make her some tea." He said and left. I was so grateful for him as I clung to Colby, craving his comfort. "I-" I choked out. "Shhh..it's okay, just breathe." He cooed and rubbed my hair, "you-" I tried again but more rough sobs left my throat. "Easy baby...easy.." he whispered, his voice cracking, I could tell he was crying by how thick his voice was.

I clung to him for dear life as I tried to get control of my breathing. "It was just a dream." He whispered as Sam opened the door, he walked in with a mug in his hand. "I'm sorry." I sobbed out once I caught my breath. I could feel Colby shaking his head, "no baby..don't do that." He whispered. "Here, drink this." Sam said as I pulled away from Colby slowly, I reached for the mug with shaky hands, "here." Colby said and helped me hold the cup. "It was just a nightmare." I said shaking my head, "I know baby girl. I know." He said and rubbed my back gently, "thank you Sam." I said quietly before sipping the tea he made for me. "Hey, anytime." He said with a smile. "Do you want to talk about it?" Colby said as he rubbed my back. "Maybe later." I whispered and quietly sipped my tea. I hated how much I let those dreams effect me. I hated being such a burden to Colby and now Sam.

"So um..Kat wanted for all of us to go on another date night...just us four, Jake, and Tara, if you're down for it." Sam said and scratched the back of his head. "What do you think Cora?" Colby said and brushed my hair behind my ear, "that sounds fine, what did she want to do?" I said and set my mug down on the bedside table. "She wants us to play mini golf, but we have to make sure she wins..you know how she is." He laughed out and I smiled, "that sounds fun." I said and leaned my head on Colby's shoulder. "alright, we will leave at 7, glad you're okay Cora." Sam said then left the room. "I'm sorry." I whispered to Colby as he grabbed the mug from my hands. "Don't be. You're sure you don't want to talk about it?" He rubbed my arms gently with his hands as he spoke. "It was just a dream." I whispered trying to keep my voice level. "I know, but sometimes it helps to talk it out...I won't make you though." He said and pulled me close, placing a small kiss on my forehead.

"I became my mother Colby. I watched as I ignored our daughter and...you...you hated me so much." I said focusing on not letting the tears fall onto my cheeks. "You said I finally made you hate me...I finally became my mother like I knew I would. Colby I can't do this..." I sobbed out. "And...and I know you're going to say that you won't let it happen but what if it does?! I won't be able to live with myself Colby..." he pulled me into him tightly. He didn't say anything. He just held me and let me sob into his shirt. "I don't want you to ever hate me." I whispered causing him to tighten his grip. "I'll never hate you." He said softly as he pressed his cheek against my head. "I can't promise you'll never become your mother because that's up to you. But I can promise that I'll never hate you. I don't care what you do or say. I'll love you forever, even if one day you decide you don't love me or want me, I know for a fact that I'll always love you. Do you realize how much you mean to me Cora?" He said and pulled away so he could look at me. "Do you realize that I would take a bullet for you? Or that if I had to choose between saving you or myself I would always choose you? Do you realize that it breaks my heart every time you talk down to yourself? Or when you have a nightmare? I want to take away all of your pain, and all of your baggage. I want you to be safe and sound at all times. Cora..." he took a deep breath and brushed my hair from my face, looking intensely into my eyes.

"Cora I want to marry you."