Chapter 1: Birth

"Push!"

The woman screamed hoarsely as the contractions hit once again, ripping through her body, but still she obeyed her husband's voice from beside her and focused on her tremendous task at hand. The medical droids hovered just to the side, giving out readings, monitoring her body's signs and relaying them to the doctor as he coached her through her labor.

It had been nine months. A complete nine, agonizing months this time! She had never been able to carry a child to full term before. And upon the exact date the medical droids had predicted she had gone into labor early that morning.

Her breath came out of her lungs in short gasps, fatigue pulled at her, but she had to continue; it was almost over!

"Push again! They can see the head!"

Against her will, the pain of labor stirred her rising panic. Surely it wasn't supposed to be this difficult. What if something was wrong? What if she lost another baby?

A contraction hit her hard and she grit her teeth against it. No, she couldn't think like that now. There had been no difficulty during this pregnancy; she had done everything right this time! She'd felt no cramps, no sudden pains, she'd gone so far as to confine herself to her room and not leave her bed for days to keep herself steady and fight down the anxiety of what might happen – what she might do – if this child didn't make it.

When she had made it into her second trimester, only then had she dared to leave the house and go see the medical droids with her husband. No abnormalities or defects, they said. The baby was perfectly healthy. This one would make it.

Her voice split through the room again as she continued to struggle with her body to deliver her child into the world.

It was her fourth pregnancy, but it was only the second time she'd given birth.

The woman gasped for more air and tears continued to leak from her eyes as she prayed with all her heart to not be forced to hear the agonizing silence that had cloaked her last child.

Her precious little boy, who had never even breathed.

Please, not this child!

This one had to live!

"One more time! Just push one more time!"

Crying out once more, the woman summoned all of her remaining strength as she felt the baby move downward and pulled out from her body before her head fell back against the support pillows and her vision darkened.

She did not know how long she had been passed out. When she awoke, she was already cleaned and changed from the hospital gown she had worn during labor. Fear suddenly gripped her in its icy claws. Where was her baby?! Had it lived? Where had they taken it?

Her husband sat peacefully at her bedside with his arms crossed across the mattress and his head laid down on his arms. His dark brown hair fell forward in an uncharacteristic state of disarray from its normal style smoothed back over his head. She winced at her sore body and her breathing hitched in agitation; she started shaking her husband's arm as hard as she could, gasping out, "Devahin! Devahin, where's our baby? Is it okay? Please, tell me-tell me it's okay!"

Her pleas stirred him and Devahin blinked awake, raising his head from his arms as his kind brown eyes met hers.

All it took was a look.

The beginnings of a smile creeping across his face and in an instant, her heart leaped up into her throat and soared. Hope ignited every one of her senses while her husband's hand wiped the fresh tears from her face and stroked her short, damp hair.

"It's alright, Savah. Love, you did it! We did it! We have a daughter!"

He was exhausted too, she could see now. There were dark circles under his joyful eyes and his broad shoulders were relaxed and free of tension. He had probably tried to stay awake until she had regained consciousness despite having not slept since her contractions had started. Almost a day ago, she realized.

"I saw her with the maternity droids not too long ago." He continued in a hushed voice but still excited.

"Everyone says that she's perfectly healthy. She hasn't stopped crying since she got here, but the doctors say that just means she's strong and her lungs are fully developed. They started checking her vitals after they cleaned her, maybe, two hours ago and should be finishing their final check-ups soon, before they bring her in to us." He paused as swallowed. "They were more worried about you when you passed out. They- I almost lost you this time, Savah."

She limply lifted her hand to stroke the side of her husband's face reassuringly and he placed his crown against hers. "We made it, though. We're parents, now."

At his news and the sound of wonder in Devahin's voice, Savah felt a flood of relief and joy course through her. When she made to speak again, a shrill sound directed her attention to the hallway outside the door of her room. As soon as it opened, they were immediately greeted by the sound of an infant screaming at the top of their lungs; demanding, resilient, and loud as it washed over the pair. The nurse entered and turned to speak to Devahin as the medical droid rolled to the side of the bed and laid the small pink-wrapped bundle into Savah's waiting arms. She didn't hear a word of what was said between her husband and the nurse or the droid's congratulations, she just gazed down at the little girl –her'sandDevahin's– still crying loudly; her tiny hands curled and flailing against the confines of her blanket.

It was the most beautiful sound Savah had ever heard.

Then the babe's eyes opened and the new mother was greeted with twin hazel orbs, an exact match to her own, staring through the blue all babies are born with, right back at her.

She was so engrossed in her daughter, she didn't even notice when the nurse and medical droid left the room. Neither did she look up when her husband eased his arm around her back and sat close to her on the hospital bed. Devahin offered his fingers out into the path of his newborn child's hands; twitching as if spooked when his index finger was immediately grasped tightly and the infant's struggles subsided, although her crying continued as loudly as before.

For several minutes, the small family just sat there enjoying the warmth of each other and silently welcoming its newest member.

"She's perfect." He murmured in an awed whisper.

Savah turned. Devahin's smile was filled with pure joy and she felt like she could burst from happiness at the sight of the tears misting his eyes. She had dreamed of seeing his face like this for so long, of holding their child in her arms and being together like this as a family. Instinct took over and she moved her hospital gown to begin breastfeeding the little girl who ceased crying, responding easily to her mother's coaxing.

Devahin gently withdrew his finger and settled to watch the precious sight before him.

"Mother would have loved her too." He remarked softly.

Savah felt her happiness dim at the melancholy that stole over Devahin's expression, caught in the memory of her mother-in-law's recent passing.

"Have you named her yet?" Savah asked.

Devahin shook his head.

"No. I wanted to wait and do it together. It's-, I mean, with everything that…it's been so–"

As he faltered, in an uncommon bout of speechlessness to his wife's amusement, she placed her hand on the one he had on her shoulder, smiling.

"Korrah." She said.

Devahin tilted his head to the side at the mention of his mother's name.

"Korrah Hyymn." Savah insisted.

The melancholy in his eyes was still there, but as her husband looked back to their daughter, it seemed to dissolve the longer he considered what she was saying. His posture grew lighter than it had been in months. He sighed deeply, but at the same time he was still smiling genuinely.

"And here I thought we had agreed on 'Audaum Hyymn'."

Savah scoffed lightly, "I'm sure Sommer can continue the tradition of coming up with names that complement the surname 'Hyymn' with his own children. Should that stubborn brother of yours ever settle down and get married, of course." She carefully readjusted her grip on the feeding infant. "And if anyone deserves to have a child named after them, I'll stand by my word that your saint of a mother is among the most deserving."

"Besides," Savah gave a weak one-shouldered shrug. "Korrah - your mother - was also born in the Fall, so it still works."

Her husband laughed lightly and soon the couple noticed that their baby girl had quieted down and stopped breastfeeding. Seemingly sated and exhausted from her wailing the newborn slowly dozed off in her mother's arms. Savah felt her eyes grow heavy as well as she unconsciously leaned more into Devahin. The new father brushed the ends of his fingers over their daughter's wispy brown hair that dusted her crown.

"Korrah Hyymn, it is then." He sighed contentedly.

"I suppose this means I can tell Sommer the good news, huh?"

He looked down, but his wife had already joined their daughter in sleep. Sighing contentedly he leaned down to kiss his wife's forehead. Pressing the medical staff call button, Devahin alerted the nurse and medical droid to return to the room then gently removed himself from the bed. The nurse assured him that he would be notified immediately upon his wife's awakening and congratulated him once again before leaving to return little Korrah to the Infant's Ward. Taking out his comlink, Devahin exited the room to stand just outside the doorway so as not to disturb his wife's sleep then waited until another male voice came over the connection. It took less than a minute before the connection was established.

Sommer's worried voice characteristically came out sounding as if he was irritated, but it obviously failed to disguise his true feelings.

"It's about time you called me Devahin, now how is everything? Did the baby make it? How's Savah, how's she doing?"

Devahin allowed himself a moment to feel touched by his older brother's concern before he took a deep breath and let all his tension go with the following exhale. A euphoric smile spread across his face again as he replied.

"Everything's fine, Sommer. Nothing's wrong! Our daughter is completely healthy, strong and the doctors say we have nothing to worry about. Savah finished feeding her just a few minutes ago; she's resting now, but she'll make a full recovery as well and we'll all be back home within a few weeks. It's – it's unbelievable!"

He could hear his older brother heave a sigh of relief and mutter something under his breath before he returned to speaking in his usual carefree drawl. "Kriffin' hels, man, you finally did it! I mean, by Chandra, I really can't tell you how happy I am for you right now; both of you. Did you two decide on a name yet?"

The new father leaned his back against the wall, running a hand through his tangled dark hair in an attempt to smooth it back into its proper place.

"Yeah, Savah decided to name her Korrah Hyymn…after Mom." He said.

Sommer paused for a second before voicing his opinion.

"Well, that makes sense of course. Mom is…I mean was, um…'Korrah' is a great name to have. Though I thought for sure you were going to copy Mom's little naming quirk. Tell me, did baby-Korrah sing out a 'divine hymn' just like her daddy did when he was born?"

Devahin cast his eyes upwards to the white ceiling of the Med Center hallway at the familiar, insipid joke Sommer had pestered him with during their childhood before shrugging it off with practiced ease.

"Go kiss a gundark, Sommer, that's your responsibility now. Korrah started crying the second she was born. Actually, she didn't stop screaming until Savah started to feed her, but the medical droid said that's normal and a very good thing. No fluid in the lungs, fully developed, or something like that. I really wasn't paying attention at that point."

Sommer huffed from across the comlinks connection, "Well then, congratulations. I wager your little girl will be the greatest public speaker Chandrila's ever seen with a voice like that…oh, or maybe an opera singer! Oh, wouldn't that be heavenly-!"

Devahin sighed and waved away a courteous medical droid, dismissing its offer of assistance or direction before he interrupted his brother's stupid jokes.

"Alright, enough with your sad attempts at humor, Sommer. By the way, I know Savah will probably ask me to invite you over to meet your niece sometime soon, so try to free up your schedule for at least a few days later this month for a visit, okay?"

Sommer replied affirmatively.

"I look forward to that and thanks for giving me the good news, but I'll have to get back to you later about the visit. Right now, the fundraiser I'm helping to organizing is still going on and I know Griffen will be asking for my help on something or other, especially with elections coming up next week."

"I understand, I know you're busy. I'll com you again if anything comes up with Savah or the bab- with Korrah."

Devahin said his farwells to his brother and cut the connection, placing his comlink back in his pocket. Rather than rejoining his wife in her room, he wandered off down the Med Center hallways until he entered the Infant's Ward and stood gazing through the plastiglass window at the small sleeping bundle that was his daughter, lying among the rows of other newborn infants.

He had almost given up on ever experiencing this moment, and yet now that it was happening, he found it was as if he couldn't imagine a time beyond it. After all the pain he had witnessed Savah suffer through during her first two miscarriages and the heartbreak that had followed the premature birth of their stillborn son, he had wanted to stop.

The pain had been just too much for him and even worse, he felt like he had been trapped on the sidelines, watching every loss take its toll on his wife unable to help. And selfish as if may have been, he had known he couldn't risk losing her too if she overreached her body's limits like the doctors had warned them was possible, or worse, lost her to her increasing depression.

However, his mother had encourage him not to give up. That this one – this child would make it – and...it had given him the courage to try; just one more time.

For eight months everything had been fine and he had finally dared to hope again, but when his mother had suddenly died he'd almost taken it as a sign, the foreshadowing of the inevitable grief he and his wife had become so familiar with. Throughout that last, terrifying month, his hope had constantly struggled against his fears on how this would end. Then, in the split second that he had hear his daughter's first cry, all his fears vanished like smoke and he knew his mother had been right.

And nothing could have prepared him for this kind of joy.

Devahin let his head sag forward against the cold plasiglass, unable to tear his eyes from the perfect little miracle behind it. It wasn't long until they started to mist and he sniffed, placing his hand on the window separating him and his child before he allowed the overwhelming emotions within him to spill out, trailing over his cheeks.

"I'm a father!"

Three days seemed to pass by the new parents in mere seconds until Savah and Devahin received the news that they were free to take their daughter home. A helpful medical droid led them to the Infant's Ward where Savah carefully lifted her baby into her arms, shushing the little girl's indignant cries at being moved from her bed.

However, just before they could depart from the Med Center, they were held up by a Med Center staff member who sat down with them to discuss something that had come up during their daughter routine health check. The couple soon found themselves faced with an unexpected proposition.

"I'm sorry, but…a high midiclorian count? Devahin repeated.

The nurse flicked his stylus forward in what Devahin assumed had been meant to be seen as a reassuring gesture, but after what had just been said, it simply came off as patronizing to the new father.

"Please don't be alarmed, Mr. Hyymn, it isn't anything detrimental."

He seemingly deciding that this needed further explanation and so the man behind the desk continued in a clipped tone.

"Midiclorians are simply microscopic organisms that live symbiotically within all living beings and a high quantity within a person's cells is commonly correlated with the phenomenon of Force-sensitivity. Checking an infant's midiclorian count after their birth is a standard procedure on all planets within the Galactic Republic."

As the male nurse primly rattled off his explanation, his beady eyes glanced down at his datapad from behind his glasses. He readjusted them slightly on the bridge of his nose.

"Although, I have to admit, your daughter's midiclorian levels are above and beyond anything that we have on record. I'm certain that the Jedi would welcome her into their Order."

Savah's face had started to lose its color over the past few minutes and her mouth opened, but no sound came out. Devahin quickly glanced at her in concern and picked up on his wife's thoughts immediately.

He shook his head. "That won't be necessary. We don't have any intention of letting go of our daughter or contacting the Jedi." He said decisively.

The nurse – Moji, or was it Morrie; Devahin couldn't remember his name – blinked owlishly as if he had never even consider the idea that they would refuse to contact the Jedi Order. He set his stylus down and Devahn felt and increasing feeling of foreboding at the man's change in posture.

"Mr. Hyymn, I'm sure that, given some time to reconsider-"

"Oh no, don't you start antagonizing them, Mogie."

A miffed voice cut through the previous speaker's insistence and a Mon Calamari female clad in a long white coat strode into the small office. She was holding her own datapad in her webbed hands and crossed her arms imperiously upon stepping into the room.

"If they don't want to give up their daughter and that's their final decision don't try to keep pressuring them into saying otherwise. Mark it down that they've refused the option of contacting the Jedi Order and file it away so these people can leave and get home already."

The Mon Calamari seemed to stare down her nose at her coworker.

"And once you're finished filling it away you can go report to Doctor Gurtan, he's been asking for you."

Mogie shot a disgruntled glance sideways at the doctor, but submitted to the commands of his superior.

"Very well, Doctor Treeniv." He replied.

After making several amendments to the datapad with a quick flick of his stylus, he nodded curtly to the occupants of the room and exited without another word.

Doctor Treeniv huffed out a quick breath and turned to Savah.

"I'm sorry I took so long to see you, but my work has been keeping me very busy lately. I'm just glad I've now got a few minutes to see you before you leave and give my congratulations. And it's always good to see you too, Devahin."

Savah had relaxed upon the doctor's entrance and breathed in a sigh of relief before hugging her warmly, taking care not to jostle Korrah.

The Mon Calamari, Doctor Lorrie Treeniv, was a childhood friend of the new mother and an unwavering source of support over the past nine months.

Lorrie pulled back from the embrace and stared down with huge, round eyes at the newborn child.

"Actually, Mogie was right when he said your daughter has an…unprecedentedly high midiclorian count, but…well, that's not a qualification that mandates she must be automatically enrolled as a Jedi. The decision ultimately is up to you as the parents." She informed them.

Savah pulled her dozing baby girl closer to her chest and sucked in a shaky breath.

"Lorri, I – I could never think of giving her up. I mean,…it's just too soon after we got her and – everything it took to get here…"

The amphibious doctor placed an understanding hand on her friend's shoulder and smiled kindly.

"I'm sorry about Mogie's…enthusiasm over this particular matter. He's had a personal fascination with the Jedi and their ways for as long as I've known him. He shouldn't have let it get involved in his work, but what can you do? Anyway, that ends all the necessary paperwork for you both, and you are now officially discharged and free to go."

The Mon Calamari tapped her datapad and turned to shake hands with Devahin before stepping back towards the door.

"Thank you, Lorri." Savah said.

Lorri flippantly waved her hand at her friend's gratitude.

"Honestly, don't think anything of it. You've been my best friend for years. I know how much this means to you, Savah. Now go home, rest and take it easy for a couple days. But just know I'll be dropping by with Marrine and Tylie within the next few weeks to visit. They'll want to see you too. And little Korrah of course."

With one last parting smile they exited the office and went their separate ways. After a short trip by hover-car to the family's home, Devahin entered his office while Savah quickly went about settling her daughter into the crib that was placed in a corner of her and her husband's room, which would now double as a nursery.

The couple retired for the night exhausted, only for Savah to raise herself out of bed several hours later as the baby began to cry.

She chuckled to herself as she heard Devahin groaning to himself, "And so it begins...".

Savah left the bedroom for the living room as Korrah refused to feed and instead wept louder and harder. Savah held her close and rocked her gently until her cries gradually reduced to whimpers and hiccups. After she was finally settled down and fed the young mother began to sing softly to her daughter, basking in the beautiful moment that she'd dreamed of for so many years.

Savah was looking down into the little girl's eyes when suddenly, she felt an icy chill travel down her back.

She felt and inexplicable sense of…loss come over her. The haunting echo of a soul-deep wound as she stared into those eyes.

Nurse Mogie's persistent proposition of giving her away to the Jedi Order plagued the edges of her mind now, and she breathed in sharply, brushing aside the foreign sensation and a fearful foreboding.

"You're not going anywhere, Korrah. You're safe here. You're staying here."

Her little girl hiccuped and Savah continued to rock her beloved child.

"Everything's going to be okay."

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading this far into my story and I hope you have enjoyed it! This will be taking a little bit of time to get things situated and established before anything really starts happening. There will be some insight into 'Korrah's' point of view in a short while that might clear up some curiosity anyone might have over the 'SI/OC AU' tag in the summary; which this is.

I have a very detailed timeline/outline for this story, so if it seems at any point that I'm just dithering about, rest assured I have a plan for where I want to go with this. I'm going to try for a new chapter every two weeks (but more likely three; boo real life) so this will be slow to update and I thank you for your patience.

For anyone curious as to whether any of my other stories will updated soon, I'm sorry, but even though I'm returning to writing after so many years, I'm more focused on my new works. I might go back at some point and see if I can continue them, but looking back on my writing style makes me cringe. And honestly, it's been a while since I was so into those fandoms I don't think I could muster up the appropriate about of effort towards them. We'll see what happens, I guess.

Thank you once again and hopefully I'll see you again with my next chapter!