Celes woke up with a start, her heart pounding in the quiet room, her eyes wide. The late pre-dusk glow filtered through the curtains, casting an orange tinge on the walls. As her mind slowly cleared from the fog of sleep, the memories came rushing back, hitting her like a tidal wave.
Gone. Again.
She could still feel the dull ache in her lower abdomen. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but it was no use. The pain was too fresh, too raw.
Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach, resting on the place where life had once been. The emptiness was overwhelming, a void that seemed to swallow her whole.
As she lay there, staring at the ceiling, a single tear slipped down her cheek. She didn't wipe it away. Instead, she let it fall, the grief consuming her whole that she could not breathe.
For a moment, she allowed herself to feel the pain, to mourn the child she would never hold. But she knew she had to get up because the last thing she wanted was for Andros to see how miserable she was. So, with a deep, shuddering breath, she wiped her tears and slowly sat up.