A Cry Into the Dark
Time stopped meaning anything.
Seconds felt like hours.
And every sound from behind those doors—
Cut deeper than any blade.
Damian stood still.
Too still.
His eyes locked on the operating room doors.
Unblinking.
Unmoving.
Like if he looked away—
Something would go wrong.
Then—
A scream.
Elara's voice.
Raw.
Painful.
Damian's hand clenched into a fist instantly.
His jaw tightened.
Every instinct in him screamed to break through those doors.
To stop it.
To fix it.
But he couldn't.
And that helplessness—
It was destroying him.
Inside—
"Push!"
The doctor's voice was firm.
Controlled.
Elara cried out again.
Her body trembling with effort.
Tears streamed down her face.
"I can't…" she whispered weakly.
"Yes, you can!"
"Just one more—push!"
Outside—
Damian shut his eyes tightly.
Breathing slow.
Controlled.
But barely holding on.
Then—
It happened.
A sound.
Small.
Fragile.
A cry.
Damian's eyes snapped open instantly.
His entire body froze.
Because he heard it.
His child.
The cry grew louder.
Filling the silence.
Breaking through the tension.
Alive.
Relief hit him hard.
Too hard.
His head dropped slightly.
A breath escaping him.
For the first time—
He allowed himself to feel it.
Hope.
But it didn't last.
Inside the room—
Something changed.
The voices.
The tone.
Urgency returned.
"Her pulse is dropping."
That one sentence—
It shattered everything.
Damian looked up sharply.
His eyes darkening instantly.
"No…"
Inside—
Elara's body weakened.
Her breathing shallow.
Her eyes barely open.
The doctor moved quickly.
"Stay with us!"
"Don't close your eyes!"
The baby cried again.
Strong.
Alive.
But the mother…
Outside—
Damian stepped forward.
Slowly at first.
Then faster.
Until he reached the doors.
His hand pressed against them.
"Open it."
No response.
"Open the door."
His voice dropped.
Cold.
Dangerous.
Still nothing.
That was enough.
The doors flew open.
Damian walked in.
Ignoring every protest.
Every warning.
Because nothing—
Nothing was keeping him out.
His eyes found her instantly.
Elara.
Pale.
Weak.
Too still.
"No…"
The word left his lips quietly.
He moved to her side.
Fast.
Taking her hand.
Holding it tightly.
"Elara."
No response.
His grip tightened.
"Elara."
Still nothing.
For the first time—
Panic hit him fully.
Real.
Uncontrolled.
"Do something!" he snapped at the doctors.
"We're trying—"
"Don't try!"
His voice thundered.
"Fix it!"
The baby cried again in the background.
But Damian didn't turn.
Didn't look.
Because right now—
There was only one thing that mattered.
Her.
"Elara…"
His voice broke slightly.
Barely noticeable.
But it was there.
"You promised…"
A pause.
"You said you wouldn't leave."
Silence.
Heavy.
Then—
A faint movement.
Her fingers twitched in his hand.
Small.
But real.
Damian froze.
His eyes locking onto her instantly.
"Elara?"
Her lips parted slightly.
A weak breath escaping.
And then—
Her eyes slowly…
Opened.
The room stilled.
The tension broke.
And in that moment—
The Devil didn't exist.
Only a man…
Who almost lost everything.