A Chance

Chapter 1: I love you too... . . . . . " No-- -aah-- " Darkness didn’t come all at once. It pulsed— slow, suffocating, and alive, as though something unseen was breathing around her, dragging her in and pushing her out in uneven waves that left her disoriented and untethered. A distant ringing filled her ears, sharp at first, slicing through whatever remained of her awareness. There was a smell. Burnt metal. Something bitter… thick… choking. Something wrong. Her fingers twitched. Just barely. But soon pain followed. Not sharp enough to make her scream, not sudden enough to shock her— but constant. Heavy. Everywhere. Somewhere, far away— or maybe too close— there were voices. " Check her pulse. " Muffled. " She’s lost a lot of blood. " Distorted. " She is losing consciousness. " Unrecognizable. They moved around her like shadows, shifting, overlapping, breaking apart before she could make sense of them. And yet, through all of it— through the pain, the darkness, the confusion— one thing remained. One name. " Noah-- " A broken whisper. Barely there. But it was enough. Because even when everything else slipped away— even when her body refused to listen, when her mind fractured and blurred and dissolved into nothing— that name stayed. Clinging. Echoing. Refusing to leave. " Noah… " The darkness flickered. But suddenly, a laugh broke through— soft, breathless. Her own. A gentle, fading light spilled across warm skin, carrying with it the quiet hush of dusk. The world felt light— too light, as if nothing in it could ever go wrong. The distant hum of arriving flights, rolling suitcases, and overlapping voices blurred into the background, turning into nothing more than a soft rhythm beneath her racing heartbeat. She was running. Through the crowded airport exit, past strangers and fleeting glances, past the world that didn’t matter in that moment— because her eyes had already found him. " Slow down— " His voice called out, half-laughing, half-scolding, carried by the wind that brushed past her. She didn’t. Her laughter slipped into the air as she ran faster, her feet barely touching the ground, her heart lighter than it had ever been. And then— his arms were around her. Strong. Warm. Familiar. The impact made her gasp softly, but she melted into him instantly, like she had been waiting for this moment without even realizing it. " Missed me that much? " He murmured against her hair, his voice low, teasing, yet laced with something deeper. " Oh... Noah, you have no idea how much. " Her hands clutched his shirt tighter than she intended, fingers curling into the fabric as if anchoring herself to him. " I can see that, " He murmured, his lips brushing against hers in a soft kiss that lingered for a second before deepening, slow and unhurried, as if he wanted to savor every moment. Her fingers slipped into his long, curly hair, tangling gently as she leaned into him, losing herself in the familiarity of his touch. His hands moved down to her waist, settling on her hips before pulling her closer, lifting her slightly as she rose on her toes, trying to close the distance between them. The height difference only made her cling to him more, as if he was something she had to reach for. " I have to tell you something, " She whispered, pulling back just enough between the kiss, her breath uneven, her lips still brushing against his. " Okay… and it can’t wait till we get back home? " He said, his voice dropping, teasing yet edged with something deeper, as his fingers tightened slightly on her waist. "Because I don’t know how much longer I can control myself from tearing this chiffon dress of yours." " No! " She exclaimed immediately, a little too quickly, a little too firmly. He chuckled, the sound low and warm, his forehead almost resting against hers. " I’ve planned this so many times in my head, " She continued, her voice softening as she looked straight into his eyes, searching, holding onto that moment. " What I would do… how I would tell you… how perfect it would be. But the moment I saw you… " She let out a small breath. " I couldn’t hold it in anymore. " His expression shifted, eyes softened instantly, the teasing fading into something more attentive, more present. " That serious? " He asked quietly. She nod calmly but her heartbeat stumbled. For a brief second, doubt flickered—just enough to make her hesitate, just enough to make her wonder if she should wait, if she should say it differently. But then she didn’t. " Noah… " She said, taking his hand gently and guiding it to her stomach, her voice dropping into a soft whisper, almost fragile, " I’m pregnant. " And in that moment, everything else disappeared. The distant announcements, the murmured conversations, the hurried footsteps— everything blurred into nothingness, fading into a distant hum that no longer reached her. The world slowed— no, it stopped entirely— until it was just him and her, suspended in a fragile silence, a single shared breath, before it broke with a disbelieving, bright laugh. " What? " His hands moved to her face, as if he needed to make sure she was real, that this moment wasn’t slipping away from him. " Myra… oh God…!! " " Are you serious? " Tears filled her eyes before she could stop them, but she was smiling— soft, trembling, overwhelmed. She had thought, even if just for a fleeting second, that he might not take the news well… that he might hesitate… that the reality of it would scare him. But looking at him now— she saw it. The genuineness. The pure, unfiltered joy. Before she could say anything else, he pulled her into him so suddenly that a soft gasp escaped her lips, his laughter breaking into something softer, something almost disbelieving, like he was trying to hold onto the moment before it slipped away. " We’re having a baby, " He said, his voice quieter now, as if he was still trying to understand the weight of those words himself. The words settled into her bones. She had feared his reaction… questioned it… but now, seeing it with her own eyes, she felt something shift inside her— something warm, something certain. And for the first time— nothing felt uncertain. " Hey! Everyone— " He suddenly called out, turning slightly, his voice loud and filled with a happiness he couldn’t contain, " I’m going to be a father! " " Noah, shut up! " She laughed, hitting his chest before hiding her face against him, her cheeks warming as a few people around them turned to look— some surprised, some smiling, some simply confused. " We’re going to be parents! " He added, even louder this time, completely unbothered. " Stop, will you. " She muttered against him, though her smile refused to fade. " Oh dear lord, I am going to be a father. " " Noah! " " Stop it... " " Stop… stop that bleeding. " Someone said. " That’s a deep cut. Clean it— put a bandage on it. " Something beeped. Sharp. Repetitive. The warmth disappeared. Cold crept in, slow and invasive, settling into her skin as if it belonged there more than she did. Her body felt… wrong. Disconnected. Like it no longer belonged to her. A weight pressed against her chest, something covering her mouth— she tried to breathe, panic flickering faintly, before realizing she already was. A machine. Her fingers painfully moved again, slower this time, trembling faintly as if even that small effort was too much. And then— the name came back. Stronger this time. Unavoidable. " …Noah… " It barely came out— just air, just sound, fragile and broken. But it was enough. Somewhere close, a voice shifted. " She’s responding. " Hands moved around her, quick and practiced. Shadows crossed her blurred vision, shapes bending and shifting, faces she couldn’t recognize, voices she couldn’t hold onto. But she didn’t see them. She wasn’t looking at them. She was searching— for someone else. For him. " Noah..." " Yes baby... " " Tell me... " " Tell you what? " The memory hit too fast this time, crashing into her mind without warning— sharp and unforgiving— leaving no space for her to prepare, no time to steady herself before it took hold of her completely. The car moved steadily along the quiet coastal road, the soft hum of the engine filling the space between them as the fading evening light slipped through the windows, brushing against their skin. " Tell me, what if it’s twins? " She asked, a hint of excitement lacing her voice as she turned slightly towards him. He let out a soft laugh, shaking his head lightly. " Then that’s two birds with one stone, isn’t it? " He said, amused, before his expression softened, something more genuine settling in his eyes. " But what I really hope is… it’s a girl. Or girls. " He glanced at her, his hand resting on the steering wheel while the other held hers loosely, his fingers tracing soft, absent patterns against her skin. " Why? " She asked curiously, her lips curving into a small smile as she squeezed his hand gently. " Of course I want a mini version of you, " He said with a soft grin, glancing at her before adding, " and I’m going to spoil her to the fullest. " She smiled warmly at him, her eyes soft, filled with something quiet and deep. " I still can’t believe it, " He murmured, almost to himself. Neither could she. She turned slightly, watching him— really watching him, as if trying to memorize every detail, every expression, every fleeting moment that felt too precious to lose. " I love you, " He said, pressing a gentle kiss to her hand. Her breath caught softly. " And I love you too… " He whispered again, but this time his gaze dropped, his hand moving to her stomach, his voice softening even more, " to you too, little one. " ... .. .