Chapter 58

Aisha's POV Once I was certain Simon was stable and out of immediate danger, I forced myself to shift back into work mode. Emotional entanglements could wait. Lives couldn't. The hospital wing had quieted since the earlier chaos, but the tension still lingered in the air like static. I moved through the halls with practiced steps, checking on the injured, updating prescriptions, and reviewing charts that seemed to multiply every hour. Exhaustion tugged at the corners of my mind, but I pushed it aside. I couldn't afford to slow down. I was reviewing an elder's vitals when a voice pinged through my mind. Emma: Aisha, it's Katie—she's having contractions. My heart skipped a beat. Real labor? Emma: They're consistent but not intense. Could be Braxton Hicks… You should check her. I was already moving. Katie had been nearing her due date, and we'd all been on edge waiting for her time to come. When I arrived, her face was tight with discomfort, but not pain. Her breathing was steady. I place