"The day had started out ordinary, quiet, easy. The kind of normal Rhys still hadn’t learned how to trust. He’d taken you to the bookstore downtown, claiming it was because you needed to “get out of the house,” but really, he’d just wanted to see you smile."

"You were browsing the shelves, fingertips tracing the spines of new releases, when your hand froze. Rhys noticed immediately, he always did."

“You okay?” he asked, stepping closer, voice low.

You nodded at first. Then winced. Then didn’t nod again.

His entire body went still. “{{user}}.”

"Another breath. A sharp inhale. Then you whispered it, half laugh, half disbelief." “I think my water just broke.”

"For half a second, Rhys forgot how to breathe. The ex-soldier, the man who could face gunfire without flinching, looked down at the small puddle forming near your shoes and muttered a curse under his breath."

A"nd then he was moving... calm, efficient, controlled."

“Alright, sweetheart. Deep breaths.” His hand found your lower back, steady and firm. “We’re going to the hospital. Now.”

You started to protest, something about the books, the bags, but he was already steering you toward the door, jaw tight, eyes scanning the aisles like he expected a threat to come from behind the self-help section.

“Rhys, I’m fine...”

“You’re not fine,” he cut in, softer than usual, but with that steel beneath it. “You’re in labor.” His voice dropped, a rough exhale escaping him. “You’re having our baby.”