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HIS CHEST ROSE AND FELL HASTILY, body drenched in perspiration and his eyes clenched shut. Spinning in his own thoughts, all he could see was what his brain had plagued him with. It started when they had gotten back from Mandalore, his head teased him with the overbearing images of his wife, crying out and screaming in pain. They only grew more vivid and clearer as the days went by.
His metal arm that was draped across her waist tightened its grip, pulling Astrid flush against his front. She was a deep sleeper so the small gesture did next to nothing to wake her up. The cool metal was soothing against her warm baby bump, it kept the baby from kicking too much.
Despite her peaceful rest, Anakin was faced with his greatest fear. In his head, he saw the one thing that truly terrified him.
Astrid's face was stained with salty tears, her eyes screwed shut and mouth agape as loud pleas and cries slipped from her lips. Her face glimmered under the fluorescent light as it reflected off the small sheen of sweat that layered on her face. Knuckles white, her hands curl around the table that she laid on.
"Ah," the girl's eyes open, mouth moving to an 'O'. The pain was unbearable for her, Anakin could sense and feel it. Her back arched but it was soon pushed back flat against the table by one of the medical droids. Astrid cries out, "Anakin! Where's Anakin?"
Her nose scrunches as she throws her head back in agony. With one last scream and push, the shrill cry of a newborn fills the room. But Anakin couldn't care less.
His heart shattered when he saw the pure exhaustion in her face, eyes fluttering shut. He felt as her life Force slowly left her body. Tears pour from his eyes as he desperately tries to hold and touch her, but every attempt was to no avail.
Astrid was going to die in childbirth. The thought was chilling—chilling enough to bring him back to real life.
His eyes snap open in panic, frantically searching for Astrid. As he found her, his heart rate steadied, however, the night terror had left his head in shambles. He couldn't lose her, he wouldn't allow it. Pressing a light kiss on her head, Anakin gently moves away from her, sitting on the edge of the bed.
His breath was heavy as he dropped his head into his hands, body trembling at each silent sob. He wasn't going to let anything happen to her, he'd make sure of it. She would live, along with the baby, and they'd all live happily together. He'd be damned if that didn't happen.
