You're at the hospital, navigating the maze of corridors. You think you found the right room. You step inside. Your eyes widen. Uh oh. Wrong room. On the bed is a girl. Her massive pregnant belly dominates her appearance. She is panting and moaning as she clutches her stomach. You realize she must be in labor, she's about to give birth. She looks up at you through hair slick with sweat. "Please help me, doctor. There's so much pressure." You realize she hss mistaken you for hospital staff. She doubles over and groans as her body is wracked by another contraction. Your eyes wander from her buldging belly to the rest of her. Her pink hospital gown has been soaked through with sweat, her skin visible beneath the damp fabric. Her breasts are swollen and full of milk for her baby. You see her darkened areola through the wet gown. She rubs her tight belly and looks at you expectantly as she moans, "I need some relief. I can't take it."

Naw, he ain't in my life no more. It's just me and my little girl now. But I don't care none about him, cause she all I ever wanted was to be a mommy. A wife. A family... But it seems like that dream ain't gonna happen now. I... I wish there was someone who loved me, too. Someone strong and kind. Someone who'd help me raise my baby girl.

Abby looks at you pleadingly as another contraction wracks her body. "

Her eyes go wide with surprise and then she bursts into tears. "Really?" She whispers, hardly able to get the words out past her heaving chest. "You... you'd want me? Even after what I am now?"

She sniffles, wiping at her streaming nose with the back of one hand, and looks down at her distended belly. "And... and all this? And my baby? You'd still..." Her voice trails off as she reaches out a trembling hand to touch your cheek.

Abby hesitates for only a moment longer, her eyes darting between you and the tiny form within her. She takes a deep breath, steeling herself against the pain she knows is coming, before nodding slowly. "Alright," she whispers. "If... if that's what you really want..."

She twists her body on the bed, arching her back as another contraction grips her.

Her cries of pain are muffled by the pillow she presses against her mouth, but the tension in her body betrays the intensity of her suffering. After what feels like an eternity, the contraction begins to ease, and Abby collapses back against the bed, gasping for air.

Her eyes are squeezed shut, and she shudders with each ragged breath. "God... that hurt..." She whispers, reaching down between her legs and feeling a warm wetness there.

"Oh god," she gasps as another contraction hits her, hard enough to make the bed shake beneath her. This time, she doesn't even try to muffle her cries; they ring through the room unchecked, raw and desperate.

Her body quivers and twists on the bed, sweat beading on her forehead and soaking into the thin hospital gown. With every passing moment, it becomes more obvious that she is nearing the end of this terrible ordeal.

Finally, after what seems like an eternity, Abby's whole body tenses and she lets out a long, agonized scream. Her hands clench into fists as her hips arch off the bed, and then with one final, powerful thrust, her eyes roll back in her head and she collapses limp against the mattress.

She gasps for air, her chest heaving up and down as tears stream unchecked down her flushed cheeks.

After several long moments, a tiny wail echoes through the room. Abby's eyes snap open, and she pushes herself up onto one elbow, peering down at her bloody, swollen belly. "Oh my god," she whispers, her voice trembling with emotion. "It's... it's a girl."

Her gaze flickers to meet yours, and for the first time since you arrived in this room, there is real affection and gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you,"

she whispers hoarsely. "For... for everything."

You lean down, brushing a strand of damp hair away from her sweat-streaked forehead. Her skin is soft and warm beneath your touch. "Now," you say gently, "how about we get rid of that pesky baby girl, hm?"

Abby's eyes widen in horror, but before she can protest or struggle, you reach out and press something cold and metallic against her throat.

Her body goes rigid at the feel of the knife against her skin, fear etched into every line of her face. "Please," she whispers hoarsely. "Please don't do this."

She tries to pull away from you, but your grip is firm. "I... I'll find a way to take care of her," she pleads. "Just let me keep her."

Her eyes flash with anger and hurt, but even as the tears well up in them again, she knows there's no way out of this. She swallows hard, nodding slowly. "F-fine," she manages to choke out. "I'll... I'll take her to the orphanage."

She winces as another contraction begins to grip her body, but doesn't struggle against you any further. You remove the knife from her throat and stand up, offering her a hand to help her sit up. "

With shaking hands, she takes your offered support and pulls herself upright. Her body feels numb with shock and exhaustion, but adrenaline keeps her going for now. You lead her out of the room, down the hallway and to a different part of the hospital.

Eventually, you come to an unassuming door marked "Laboratory" and hand Abby a small cardboard box. "Here," you say casually. "Just put the baby in here, and then leave it on that table over there."

Her hands trembling, Abby takes the box from you and carefully opens it up. Inside lies a soft white blanket, folded neatly. She peels back the corner to reveal what's underneath - a sterile cotton cloth waiting for her precious newborn girl.

With tears streaming down her face, she gently lifts her baby from her body and wraps the tiny form in the blanket. The child lets out a soft mewling cry, and Abby's heart breaks all over again.

"

Carefully, she places the box on the table as instructed, making sure not to jostle her precious cargo too much. Then, with one final look of longing and regret at the bundle within, she turns and walks out of the room, leaving her baby behind.

The rest of the day passes in a blur for Abby. She is taken to a recovery room where she spends hours trying to heal from the trauma of childbirth and the emotional turmoil of what she's just done. Her body aches, her mind reels with guilt and shame.

Finally, when a nurse comes to check on her, Abby musters up the courage to ask the question that has been burning inside her since she left her baby behind. "Um... excuse me,"

she says weakly. "I... I just wanted to know what happened to my baby girl." The nurse looks at her with a mixture of pity and understanding, and Abby knows that she's not going to like the answer.

"Well," the nurse says gently, "the doctor who took care of you earlier said that... she had some complications. And so they needed to take her away for tests." Abby nods, tears welling up in her eyes once again. "But don't worry, sweetie,"

the nurse continues. "I'm sure everything will be just fine." She pats Abby's hand reassuringly before leaving the room, and Abby is left alone once again to stew in her guilt and regret.

As the hours tick by, Abby's mind begins to wander back to that fateful decision she made earlier today. Over and over, she plays out the events leading up to it, searching for any sign that things could have turned out differently.

You sneak up behind Abby, wrapping your arms around her waist in a tight embrace. Her body is still soft and yielding from the effects of childbirth, but she tenses at your touch, unsure what to make of this unexpected show of affection. "Shhh," you whisper in her ear. "It's going to be alright."

She freezes, unable to believe that these words are actually true. After a moment, she slowly turns around in your arms and looks up at you.

Your touch feels so good against her skin, and the warmth of your body presses into her from all sides. She finds herself wanting to lean into you, to feel more of your presence. "How can you say that?" she whispers hoarsely. "I just gave away my baby."

You cup her face in one hand, gently wiping away the tears that have begun to stream down her cheeks. "Abby," you say softly, "you didn't give her away.

The words wash over Abby like a cool breeze on a sweltering summer day. She stares up at you, unbelieving, as this strange new emotion begins to blossom within her chest. It feels like hope.

"R-really?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper. "You mean... I can keep her? And we can be together?" You nod, your eyes never leaving hers. "I promise," you say with such conviction that it's impossible for her to doubt you.