Eyes opening wide, Azure Glide took one good look around a hall before getting to his feet. The hall was littered with doors and decently illuminated by the overhead lights. It was only moments ago that he collapsed from his wounds sustained from his encounter with the gunman. Where he should feel warmth or the ambient air brushing against his skin, it was a cold nothingness.
 
Hearing a familiar scream of pain coming from nearby, he opened the third door on the left to reveal something that gave him pause. Celaeno, his wife, had just given birth to their daughter. After the newborn was carried off to be cleansed, the beeping on the vital monitors started going crazy as Celaeno grew faint and collapsed while uttering her husband’s name and reaching for her child.
 
“We’re starting to lose her! Get the baby out of here and let’s begin resuscitation, now!
 
As the beeps morphed into a steady long tone, Azure’s heart filled with dread and pain as he’s witnessing the death of his wife. It was unthinkable for the police lieutenant as Celaeno’s pregnancy had no complications. Yet, one thing that tipped him off was the utterance of his name. Did he die of his wounds? Was her death the result of a broken heart from his passing? Yet, the scene broke his heart, seeing his beloved die.
 
“Celaeno… my love… nooo~”
 
As the scene fizzled away, an emotionally wracked Azure exited the room panting from what he just saw. He tried desperately to comprehend where in the world he was. If what he heard was true and that he’s dead, was he in the afterlife? Was it some border between heaven and hell? It all terrified him nonetheless that he left his wife and daughter behind.
 
Seeing a door open next to him, he walked through a blinding light and into another room. It was the hospital’s nursery, rows upon rows of newborn infants all slept peacefully in their cribs. Among those in the room, the one belonging to his daughter, Gale Blitzwing, stood out the most to him. Apart from a few minor differences, she was almost a spitting image of her mother. Though smiling, it was bittersweet for him.
 
“Gale,” Azure shuddered with grief, “my daughter, daddy’s here for you. It’s okay.”
 
As he reached out for his daughter, to hold her in his arms, his hands phased through her. Seeing it, it horrified Azure as the reality began to set in. He was indeed dead as well as his wife, leaving his child all alone with no one. It reminded him very much of his past as an orphan and seeing his own flesh and blood become one made his heart sink to the lowest possible depths. All he could do was cry in pure sorrow.
 
Soon after, his sister, Cadance, Shining Armor, and a doctor arrived and looked over a still sleeping Gale. Being too deep in his grief, Azure never caught a single sound of what they said but did see Cadance and Shining tearfully nod. The next thing Azure knew, his sister and brother-in-law were taking his daughter away. As much as he cried out to them, tears jetting from his eyes, it was all for naught. As he did, an undulating pitch-black void began to devour him, pulling him in as his vision began to fade. It was it. His end had arrived. The reaper had come for him.
 
“NO! PLEASE NO! NO, I DON’T WANNA DIE! PLEASE… I WANT TO LIVE!!! NOOOOOO!!!”
 
=
 
With a gasp of air and a cool sweat, Azure jolted wide awake and sitting up. A quick glance around revealed him to be on a bed in a hospital with his arm connected to an IV bag. Thinking it’s another fever dream, he felt around with his hands. To his surprise, his skin felt warm and the bedsheets felt real. Soon, his hands felt around to his left and eventually touched something firm yet soft, smooth, round, and warm. Turning around, his heart skipped a few good beats at the sight of his pregnant wife Celaeno, waking up from her nap.
 
“Honey!” She gasped as her eyes opened brightly, running briefly to the door, “Nurses, Room 22B, he’s awake!” Rejoining her husband, Celaeno looked at Azure, still sitting up and focusing his sight on his hand. Save for some sniffles, he hardly made a sound. While she felt glad for him to be alive, she felt something was off and it worried her, “Azure, Dear, are you alright?”
 
“I-I guess.” His voice hitched, “You’re… safe.”
 
“Oh dear, he must’ve had a nightmare.” Celaeno thought, “I wonder if it was it about me.” She sat down, “Yes, I’m okay, dear.”
 
“How long was I out?”
 
“You were unconscious for a day. The doctor’s said that you almost didn’t make it. You were lucky to be alive. I’m just glad I didn’t lose you.”
 
“Yeah.” His eyes watery from relief and the shock of his dreams, Azure’s emotional walls began to erode until they were gone completely. Now fully sobbing, his distress became known to his wife. She nearly lost him and didn’t want to see his despair.
 
Reaching over, Celaeno pulls Azure closer to her, touching his head with hers as she hummed a calming melody. She gently placed his hand on her round stomach, allowing him to feel the calming warmth of life within it. Feeling it seemed to lull him into a calm, knowing his daughter was okay and he’d be around for her. All in all, the gentle and caring touch from his wife lifted his spirits after what he endured.
 
“Honey, I’m just glad to feel your touch!” Azure cried as he embraced Celaeno back, “I’ll never leave you both behind!”
 
“It’s okay, my love.” Celaeno shushed, “You’ve been through a lot. Calm your heart. I’m here for you.” The tender moment was interrupted by the entry of a nurse with pink hair in a bun.
 
“Oh uhhh, sorry that I interrupted.’ She apologized, “I’m Nurse Redheart, his attending nurse. Mr. Glide, I would like to say that it was a fortune that you were able to survive those wounds. That bullet that hit your gut narrowly avoided your spine.”
 
“Yikes.” Azure cringed, “I must be blessed with luck then. I remember getting hit twice in the leg though. What happened?”
 
“Well, your right tibia had been shattered and even fractured. We were able to repair it for the most part but…”
 
“But what?”
 
“You may be feeling discomfort and pain when you put weight on it. There’s no way we can think of at this time to fix the damage so we’ll be prescribing pain meds and you’ll be needing to use the assistance of a walking cane for the foreseeable future. It’s the best we can do for you.”
 
“At least I can stand. That’s all that matters.” Azure stretched his back as he gave out a big yawn, “Thank you for what you’ve done.”
 
“The wellbeing of our patients is our priority. Now, is it alright if I can have a word alone with your wife?”
 
“It’s fine.”
 
With a nod, Celaeno followed Redheart out of the room. As soon as they reached the halls, the nurse’s demeanor changed from cheerful to neutral.
 
“Is there anything else I should worry about with my husband?” Celeano’s question was met with a sigh.
 
“There is.” Redheart shook her head, “It’s not fatal but it more has to deal with his mind and heart.”
 
“How so?”
 
“For the lack of a better term, your husband went through a Near Death Experience. Are you familiar with it?”
 
“I guess. Why?”
 
“Since he lived through his ordeal, his mind might be in a state of flux. He’ll no doubt be afflicted with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder where he’ll involuntarily relive the trauma in his mind.”
 
“Oh dear.” Celaeno shuddered, “Is there anything I can do for him?”
 
“Well, I’m no expert on the subject of mental health. But, for someone with his condition, the best thing you can do is support him. Shower him with love, as cheesy as it sounds, and be his shoulder for when he needs it. The worst thing for those with afflicted with PTSD is the feeling of loneliness.”
 
“I… understand.” Celaeno sighed as she shook the nurse’s hand, “I promised when I made my vow to him at the altar that I’d always be there for him and I won’t betray that now or ever.”
 
 
“Well, if you or he needs anything, don’t hesitate to call for it. His family should be here anytime now.”
 
Walking back into the room, Celaeno took her seat next to her husband, now calm for the most part. Taking his hand in hers, she once again placed it on her belly. The feeling brought another wave of calm to him as he hummed with her. Peaceful and tranquil, all was quiet in the room.
 
“Hey… honey?” Azure muttered.
 
“Huh?”
 
“You’ll never abandon me, will you?”
 
“…”
 
“No… I’ll never leave you.”