The room changed the moment the instruction was given.
Not louder.
Not faster.
Just final.
Doctors moved into position with practiced precision.
Elias stepped back half a step, eyes still locked on everything.
The air tightened.
Not panic.
Focus.
Leah felt it immediately.
Her grip on Izana's hand tightened so hard it trembled.
Her breathing broke unevenly.
"…Okay…"
Her voice was thin now.
Izana didn't move from his place.
Still kneeling.
Still right beside her.
Still holding her hand like it was the only stable thing in the room.
A doctor spoke calmly.
"…You're doing well. Just follow my voice."
Leah gave a strained laugh through the pain.
"…Your voice is very calm for what is happening."
No one responded to that.
Another contraction hit.
Harder.
Her body tensed instantly.
A sharp sound broke from her before she could stop it.
Her free hand grabbed the sheet.
White-knuckled.
Izana leaned closer immediately.
Forehead almost near her wrist.
"…Look at me."
Leah tried.
Her eyes found his.
Then wavered.
"…I am."
"…Stay there."
Her breath broke.
"…It hurts."
Izana didn't hesitate.
"…I know."
A pause.
Then softer—
"…Breathe with me."
Leah shook her head slightly.
"…I am breathing."
"…Not enough."
That got the faintest, exhausted sound from her.
Almost a laugh.
Almost nothing.
Another wave hit immediately after.
Stronger.
Leah's grip tightened violently.
Her voice cracked.
"…I can't— I can't do this."
That shifted something.
Not panic.
But intensity.
Izana's hand tightened around hers instantly.
Not painful.
Anchoring.
"…You are."
Leah shook her head again.
Tears forming at the edges of her eyes now.
"…It's too much."
Izana leaned closer.
His voice didn't rise.
It dropped.
Steady.
Controlled.
Warm in a way he didn't use often.
"…Look at me."
She did.
This time she stayed.
Izana held her gaze.
"…You're not doing this alone."
Leah's breath shook.
"…It feels like I am."
"…You're not."
A pause.
Then quieter—
"…Stay with me."
Leah swallowed hard.
Another contraction hit.
She tensed sharply.
Her grip on him tightened again.
Izana didn't move away.
Didn't break eye contact when she could hold it.
"…Good," he said quietly.
"…That one passed."
Leah exhaled shakily.
"…You're keeping track now?"
"…Yes."
"…Of course you are."
Another faint, strained smile.
Then it faded quickly.
Pain rising again.
The doctor spoke.
"…You're progressing well. This is the final stage."
Leah's breathing broke slightly at that.
"…Final sounds like it should be faster."
Elias spoke softly from the side.
"…It means you're close."
Leah closed her eyes briefly.
"…That's not comforting."
Izana moved closer again.
Still kneeling.
Still holding her hand.
His thumb brushed over her knuckles once.
Slow.
Steady.
"…You're doing it," he said.
Leah opened her eyes again.
"…I don't feel like I am."
"…You are."
A pause.
Then Izana added, quieter—
"…I'm here."
That was all.
But it landed.
Leah's shoulders eased a fraction.
Then another contraction hit.
Harder than the last.
Her breath broke completely this time.
A sound escaped her that she couldn't control.
"…Iz—."
He answered instantly.
"…I've got you."
Her grip tightened until her hand trembled.
"…Don't let go."
"…I won't."
The doctor's voice sharpened slightly.
"…Now. On the next one."
The room narrowed.
Everything became that moment.
Leah's body shook.
Exhaustion and pain blending together.
"…I can't feel anything right anymore," she whispered.
Izana leaned in closer.
Forehead near her hand now.
"…Yes, you can."
"…No, I can't."
"…You can."
A pause.
Then softer—
"…One more."
Leah shook slightly.
Tears finally slipping now.
"…You're very persistent."
"…Yes."
Another contraction built immediately.
Hard.
Immediate.
Leah's breath broke again.
Her grip tightened violently.
"…Okay—okay—this is it—."
Izana's voice stayed low.
Steady.
Right at her side.
"…Stay with me."
She nodded weakly.
"…I am."
The doctor moved in fully now.
"…Now. Push."
Everything tightened.
Leah gasped sharply.
Her body shook under the intensity.
Izana didn't move.
Didn't release her hand.
Didn't look away.
"…You're almost there," he said.
Leah's voice broke.
"…I don't think I've ever hated 'almost' more."
That earned the faintest shift in his expression.
Not a smile.
But something close.
"…Almost is enough."
Leah exhaled sharply.
Another wave.
Stronger.
Final.
Her grip locked around him completely.
Her voice broke through it—
"…Iz—."
He leaned in immediately.
"…I'm here."
The room tightened to silence except for instruction.
Elias watching.
Doctors focused.
Leah pushing through everything she had left.
Izana holding her hand without movement.
Steady.
Unbroken.
"…You're doing it," he said again.
Leah's voice was barely there.
"…Don't say that like it's easy."
"…It's not."
A pause.
Then—
"…But you are."
Leah let out a broken breath.
Another push.
Everything peaked.
Her body tensed sharply.
The room held itself.
Izana didn't move.
Didn't breathe differently.
Just stayed.
Completely with her.
Then—
the pressure shifted.
The final moment.
The doctor's voice cut through.
"…Now."
Leah pushed with everything left.
The room held still—
then released.
A sharp, immediate sound broke through the room.
A cry.
Small.
Sharp.
Alive.
Everything stopped for a fraction of a second.
Then movement returned instantly.
Doctors adjusting.
Elias exhaling once.
But Izana didn't move.
Still kneeling.
Still holding her hand.
His grip didn't loosen.
Leah collapsed back slightly into the pillows.
Breath shaking.
Tears on her face now.
"…Is that—."
Her voice broke.
"…Is that him?"
Izana didn't look away from her.
"…Yes."
Another cry filled the room.
Louder this time.
Real.
Leah let out a shaky breath that almost turned into a laugh.
"…He's loud."
Izana's thumb moved once over her knuckles.
"…Like you."
Leah turned her head slightly toward him.
Even exhausted.
"…That's not true."
"…It is."
A faint pause.
Then Leah closed her eyes briefly.
"…We did it?"
Izana leaned closer.
Still holding her hand.
"…You did."
Leah gave a weak smile.
"…You didn't exactly step away."
"…No."
A pause.
Then quieter—
"…I didn't need to."
Another cry filled the room.
Clear.
Strong.
Alive.
Leah exhaled slowly.
Tired.
Relieved.
Still shaking.
"…That's definitely our problem now."
Izana finally lowered his head slightly again.
Still beside her.
Still grounded.
"…Yes."
And the room, for the first time in hours—
stopped holding its breath.