Hunted

XXV. The Change

The morning after her sonogram Serela woke early. She rolled over and looked at the cot Phasma had chosen to sleep on last night as opposed to going back to her own room. Even after seeing how Serela had repelled Hux, Phasma didn't want to risk him coming back when she wasn't there and another stormtrooper would just let him in unsupervised.

Dim underlighting in the room had helped to comfort Serela, who panicked the first time the lights had gone off in here, throwing her into a darkness so deep she could not see her own hand in front of her face. What she wouldn't give for a window in this room...

Phasma stirred, and Serela rolled over to face the wall, not wanting her friend to know she was awake yet. Kylo had said he would come see her today, and she wanted more time to be able to ponder her thoughts on the matter before she had to begin another day as a prisoner aboard this ship.

She didn't have long however, before she heard the static of a call box next to the door and the sound of Phasma climbing off her cot to answer.

A robotic, male voice that did not belong to Kylo addressed Phasma through the radio, "Lord Ren wishes for you to bring the prisoner to him in his chambers within one hour. Have her rise and dress now so she will be ready to meet with him."

Serela's heart leaped in her chest and the baby woke up; it felt like he was bouncing in every corner of her womb, as if he too sensed and hoped that today his father would be more of the Kylo she had known during his conception, and not whatever monster he'd been made into.

"Serela," Phasma was addressing her softly, her mask still on the floor where it had remained since last night. There didn't seem to be a need to hide anymore in here. Serela popped her head up and smiled at her so she would know she had heard, then rolled herself over and began to clamber out of bed. A shower seemed to be in order, and so she ambled towards the bathroom with Phasma still seated on the cot, watching her slow pace with sleepy amusement.

The hot water soothed her bare skin and helped to wake her from her sleep, the steam enveloping her like a warm fog even after she'd shut off the water and stepped out in search of her drab, black garments. Catching her reflection in the mirror over the sink as she was pulling on her shirt, Serela turned from one side to the other, looking at the bump protruding out, the subtle curve of her stomach a testament to the life that grew inside of her. A life they had created. Together. She could only hope that somehow she would be able to get through to him when they spoke today, but the strange tone of his voice in the hall yesterday did not seem to suggest it likely.

Her hand rubbed the bump, making swirls with her fingers tracing delicate circles and patterns around her belly button, We're going to see Daddy soon, she tried to communicate to the fetus, but received no response other than a lazy kick. He seemed to be falling back to sleep.

Phasma led the way when they left, and Serela followed close behind, her hands crossed over her stomach protectively and her baggy sleeves clutched in her hands to ward off the chill of these hallways.

It was not nearly as far to Kylo's chambers as she had thought. The medical bay seemed to be on the other side of the ship, and it had taken them almost 20 minutes to walk there, 25 with Serela's progressively slower pregnancy pace, yet Kylo's rooms were only a 10 minute walk, but in the opposite direction.

Once they arrived they stood outside the door for a moment, and Serela experienced something she had never felt before. She could feel him in there. It was like she could hear his heartbeat through the inches of hardened steel that made up the doors; she could see his spirit through the layers of metal surrounding him. His presence seemed to call out to her, making itself known so strongly that she would have felt it was him even if she had not known to whom the room belonged.