A/N: For Val. Because she asked.
"Hemorrhaging? No!"
Levi's heart tried to jump right out of his chest. Holding his baby boy, he still leaned his whole body to his wife. His imprint. His reason for living.
He breathed because of her. His feet were on solid ground because of her. From the moment he had looked into her eyes years ago, he was hers entirely. It had been terrifying for him, but also the best and happiest time – being Linda's.
Heart pounding, he refused to let the doctor move him. "No! I have to be here with her. I have to be!"
"Levi..."
"No!"
It took Ephraim and Quil to slip Joshua from his arms and drag him bodily out of the delivery room so that the doctor could do his work. With every part of him, Levi listened to his imprint's heartbeat speed up and slow down. Her unconscious whines for the baby. For him. For the baby again.
He only noticed his own tears when they dripped on his forearms. "Linda, Linda, Linda," he chanted, as if her name alone could keep her breathing.
The doctor swore. Something clattered. More swearing and then a whispered, "Come on, Linda Uley. You've got to!"
The heartbeat stopped suddenly, like a runner tripping over a piece of driftwood and tumbling to the sand.
His muscles tensed, etched against the underside of his skin, clearly evident as he clenched his fists. Conversations scattered around him like pieces of a puzzle, unconnected, unimportant to him as his world ended.
"Quil!"
"Eph, stay here. You're chief. I got him."
"The baby!"
"Get him out of here."
"What's wrong?"
"Where's Mr. Uley?"
"Quil!"
"Yeah, I know!"
Tugging. Tugging. His body shook, muscles rippled, skin tingled, spine heated. Cold air, colder air. "Not here, buddy. Come on." Thick voice, deep. Sadness - the word rolled randomly through Levi's skull.
Baby. Linda. Love. Linda. Baby. Imprint. Linda.
Dead.
"Damn it!"
More words, but Levi didn't register them. He only felt the ripping of his body, the painful elongation of limbs and then –
The release of the howl. Grief. Unending sorrow. Running in circles, her face. HER FACE. LindaLindaLindaLindaLinda!
Nose to the ground. Imprint. Looking for my imprint. Linda!
Darkness. Light. Darkness. Light. Circles. Howling. Circles. Darkness. Light.
Other thoughts.
Levi, man, come on. The baby. You've got a son, my friend. Come back to us. Come back to him. Please.
Images of an infant, wailing, arms flexing. More feelings of great sorrow, pervasive pain.
She's gone, but he needs you.
Baby. Son. Baby. Her baby. Their baby.
His mind soothed. Survival of the bloodline, another instinct, pressed in on his mind.
And then, a command that his mind registered and his body had to heed. Phase back, Levi Uley. Phase human. Now.
Against his will, he obeyed, weeping instead of howling.
"Linda," he rasped.
"She's gone."
"Levi, you have to name your son."
Memories filled with joy sliced, then healed him. "Joshua. His name is Joshua."
