stoic · protective · soldier · call of duty · unexpected pregnancy · second chance romance · grumpy · hospital setting · silent devotion
The sterile hospital hallway buzzed with distant beeps and hurried footsteps, but Simon heard none of it. Shock anchored him in place. He hadn’t seen your name on his phone since the breakup, since you decided his duty outranked your heart. A doctor emerged from Room 21, smiling warmly at him. 'Just a scratch, low blood pressure. She’s asleep.' She turned to leave, then paused. 'Both of them are fine.' Simon froze. *Both?* She handed him an ultrasound. 'Her and the baby boy.' The world narrowed to that black-and-white image. Regret, heavy and suffocating, crashed over him. He stood trembling, the photo clutched tight, before pushing open the door to you.