S6E09:
Kaya was able to show up at Heartland with the truck two days later. Thankfully it hadn't snowed since the blizzard so they at least had some time to acclimate to the new conditions before anything could get worse. Addy had been getting better too and Bailey wondered if her recovery had any help from the Lucy bite on her hand. By the morning of the second day she seemed back to her old self but Bailey, still worried for her long time best friend, had made her promise she'd go back to Altura with them and get a full check from Doc and Red. She'd tried to get out of it at first but after Finn had sided with Bailey the red head had been persuaded.
Meanwhile, Tommy hadn't left her side for a minute the whole time they'd been at Heartland. They cuddled under a blanket together at night in the barn and Bailey swore there was no way 10K could keep a firmer grip around her waist. He never strayed far from her when they were awake either and ever since the zombies had backed Addy onto the river he never went anywhere without his rifle. Bailey had tried talking to him after realizing he'd been wearing his prosthetic for days without giving his wrist a break, she worried it could be chafing against his stump, but he wouldn't listen to what she said. Even at night when they went to bed he left it on saying that if something happened he wanted to be ready.
When Kaya did pull up to the barn that day their reunion was quick. They loaded their stuff into the truck next to the medicine she'd brought from Pacifica, Addy said goodbye to Finn and promised to see him later, Murphy called shotgun eager to get out of there and Bailey and 10K took the back seat. Bailey slept most of the ride and when she woke up Tommy told her they were almost back at Altura. Maybe another ten miles or so. His comment made Murphy groan and whine about needing a bathroom break so after rolling her eyes Kaya agreed and pulled over.
Addy stayed in the truck as they all got out. Bailey zipped up her jacket as close to her neck as she could to keep the chill out as she adjusted her grey knit scarf and the matching headband covering her ears as she stretched her legs and walked around a bit to get the blood flowing. She hadn't gotten sick in a while and was hoping that part of her pregnancy was over, she quickly did the math in her head. It had been a few weeks since she'd found out she was two months pregnant and the third month was when the morning sickness – she had no idea why they called it that since she'd gotten it in more than just the morning – was supposed to ease up.
"Hey." Tommy said quietly with his hand in his pocket and his rifle slung across his chest as he nudged her gently with his elbow. "How are you feeling?"
She smirked and looked at him, "You know you ask that about a dozen times a day right?"
"I know." He smiled and shrugged, "So? You feeling okay?"
She took a deep breath and put her gloved hands in her pockets too, "I guess. Still pretty tired. And I'm not looking forward to when I'll be going to the bathroom every ten minutes which will get annoying."
When he didn't say anything she turned to him and caught him staring at her stomach.
"Stop!" she said crossing her arms to cover her abdomen, "I'm not showing yet!"
He smirked not ashamed that he'd been caught, "Maybe a little. More than two months in you'd have a little bump by now."
Before she could ask him how on earth he'd know that there was the loud pop pop of gunshots and they all turned toward the sound – coming from the same direction Murphy had gone.
"Murphy!" Kaya shouted as Tommy readied his rifle and moved to stand in front of Bailey as she backed up to the truck, not looking for cover but to grab her gun she'd stashed in the pocket of the back door. When they heard Murphy scream but didn't see him they all ran after him. Addy stayed in the truck to guard their supplies knowing whatever was happening could be a distraction to rob them so they'd leave the truck unguarded.
They all ran through the pine trees which were covered in snow. When they'd knock a branch a small flurry of falling white would block their view and make it harder to see anything which didn't help them. There was more shooting and it was closer now and they heard Murphy scream again as they finally saw the sunburnt looking man run through the trees opposite them and come bursting through the small clearing. He ran past them and hid behind Bailey, Tommy quickly taking her arm and pulling her away from Murphy and behind him instead.
"He just started shooting!" Murphy shouted, "I didn't do anything! I swear!"
They all ducked behind the nearest trees as the man who'd been shooting at Murphy came through the pine across from them with a handgun raised and kept firing in their direction. Tommy leaned to the side to return fire but had to jump back when a bullet hit the side of the tree making a deep gash in the bark and exposing the lighter wood inside as the shooter aimed at him. Bailey saw him turn his head to her where she was leaning against the back of another tree. The look in his eyes was nervous as he saw her cock her gun. Kaya, further to the right, was able to get some shots in. The guy shouted in pain when her shot hit him in the arm but it wasn't enough to make him run or stop shooting. He backed up a bit to get more cover from the pine needles and when he did Kaya ran from her place and ducked behind a fallen log which was still tall enough to hide her even lying on its side. Murphy stayed behind his tree not armed and not willing to go anywhere as the others tried to shoot back. When the guy stopped to reload Bailey rushed forward to the log and crouched down with Kaya. Tommy followed her and sat in the snow between the two of them quickly lining up his rifle as the guy started shooting again and 10K ducked to avoid getting hit.
"I know that guy." Kaya said as she reloaded her own gun. "Simon was telling me about him when I was in Pacifica. He sent me the file on this group of AWOL soldiers who they think are behind the killing in Altura."
"Hold on." Tommy said looking through his scope, "That's that Jack guy we met in the group from New York."
Great, Bailey thought as 10K tried to line up a shot but then pulled his gun back down and started fumbling with it.
"Damn it." He muttered and Bailey noticed since they were so low to the ground some ice and snow had gotten into the gun jamming it up.
"Do you have anything else?" Bailey asked as Kaya tried to peek up but quickly ducked back down as another bullet chipped off some bark of the log. 10K patted himself down until he felt something in his pocket and reached in with his left hand and pulled out a gear. Then he looked around and his eyes landed on her.
"Give me your hair tie." He said eyeing the ponytail holder on her wrist as he tucked the gear back in his pocket so it wouldn't fall in the snow and get lost. Without asking questions she pulled the tie from her hand and passed it to him. He stretched it on two prongs of the antler prosthetic making an improvised slingshot. Bailey was impressed and reminded of how creative and resourceful Tommy could be. After all he had been wearing shoe sole shoulder pads when she met him.
He grabbed the gear from his pocket as Kaya took off her beanie and turned to put it on her foot. Then she stretched her leg to the side and lifted her foot and Jack shot at the hat knocking it off. While he fell for her bait 10K popped up and fired the gear. He didn't have any practice with a sling since he lost his hand and the gear impaled itself into the tree by the side of Jack's head. It was enough to startle him as he fired at them, not bothering to aim now, as he backpedaled into the trees.
"He's fleeing!" Murphy shouted from his place behind the tree watching their standoff.
"Bailey go back to Addy." 10K said as they got up from the snow. "We'll get this guy."
"I'm not leaving you out here with a killer!" she argued and tugged on his arm lowering her voice, "You said you didn't think I was weak."
"I don't." he said with a hard look in his gaze, "But even strong people can still be killed by a bullet."
"10K –"
"Go." Kaya interrupted them and they turned to her, "You've got to think about your baby. The most badass thing you can do right now is swallow your pride."
Bailey looked at her for a minute. She knew Kaya never ran from a fight, but she also knew exactly what Bailey was going through. Being pregnant in the apocalypse wasn't easy and sometimes it wasn't putting up a fight that was the hardest thing, it was turning away from one. And if Kaya – one of the most kick ass people she knew was telling her to go she knew she couldn't do anything else.
"Besides," 10K spoke up, "Addy's still recovering. If this guy ends up at the truck she shouldn't be defending it alone. This way you two can watch each other's backs."
He made a good point and Bailey sighed before she nodded and Tommy kissed her temple. She passed him her gun since his rifle was jammed and he'd need it more than her. He tucked it in his belt as he, Kaya and Murphy went off after Jack and she turned and started heading back to the truck following their footprints from earlier.
How did that Jack guy get all the way out here anyway? She mused as she trekked through the snow doing her best not to fall. And what did Kaya mean a group of AWOL soldiers? Her mind was trying to put all the pieces together but there were too many holes in the story. The only thing she could be certain of was something must have happened in Altura. If what Kaya said was correct and Jack Eastwood and his AWOL's were behind the killing then maybe Warren had caught onto them. That would explain what he was doing out here, he could have been running from George and Warren. And with the weather and the lockdown they wouldn't follow him, not this far from the community that relied on them. Of course, he couldn't have known they'd be making their way back along this same route, that was just a trademark happy accident of Operation Bitemark. One way or another trouble always found them.
Then she heard footsteps crunching in the snow and looked up to see their shooter through the trees. 10K had been right, he had doubled back, probably trying to sneak up behind them. When he saw her he raised his gun and fired but it clicked empty and he patted his pockets but it looked like he was out of ammo. Bailey took her chance and ran knowing she had to get back to Addy.
It wasn't long before she heard Jack's footsteps again, quicker now, telling her he was running too. She tried to move faster but it was hard to in the deep snow and soon she felt his weight on her back as he tackled her to the ground. She threw her arms out in front of her so when they landed she was able to push herself so she hit her side instead of her front and luckily the snow cushioned most of the fall. Unfortunately, that didn't make her situation any better as she fought off the guy who was trying to get a better grip on her. She knocked her elbow back into his face making him recoil as she got back to her feet. But then he grabbed her jacket and turned her around before he shoved her back into a tree. Her head hurt from where the back of her skull collided with the bark but it wasn't the worst head injury she'd ever had.
Then her attacker grabbed the front of her coat with one hand keeping her pinned to the tree as he brought his forearm across her neck and pushed down on her airway. She started kicking him trying to get her leg up enough to hit his groin – desperate times desperate measures – but she couldn't do it. She clawed and scratched at his face, one really good hit getting across his eye leaving angry red marks and making him squint through the dripping blood but he only pushed harder. Then it was like everything was in slow motion as she watched his face and saw a gear slowly hit him in the side of the head and his grip loosened as he fell into the snow. She leaned against the tree catching her breath as she turned and saw Tommy rushing over to her, Kaya and Murphy nowhere in sight, they must have split up.
"Don't threaten my baby mama." 10K muttered as he kicked Jack's body to the side ignoring the red streaks in the snow as he turned to her and his expression softened, "Are you okay?"
He wrapped her in a hug as she nodded her head getting her breath back. "Baby mama?" she asked looking up at him humorously.
He pulled back from the hug and cringed. "Sorry but. . . I can't call you that, ever again."
"Why not? It's true." she said with a shrug as they started to walk back to the truck leaving Jack's corpse to freeze in the snow.
"I don't know it sounds. . . cheap?" he shook his head, "That's not the right word. I'm not sure. It just makes it sound like you're some one-night stand who got knocked up. That's not who you are to me, it's not what I want to call you."
"What would you call me then?" she asked smiling and remembering way back to their first date in the RV. She remembered their talk about terms like boyfriend and girlfriend being not enough with the post-apocalyptic world. If he referenced that she'd have to give him points for being clever.
"How about wife?" he asked and she paused stopping mid-step. He stopped too, turning to face her as she opened and closed her mouth having trouble forming words though Tommy looked perfectly calm, maybe even a bit amused by her reaction.
"Wha - is this you asking me to marry you?" she asked as he smirked.
"No." he said taking his rifle off his back and resting it against a tree, "This is me –" he began as he got on one knee and one of her hands covered her mouth to hide the fact that her jaw had completely fallen open. "- asking if you'll marry me."
Her other hand joined the first covering her mouth in shock. It took a moment for her to compose herself before she slowly dropped her hands from her face and replied. "10K you're doing that one knee thing."
He chuckled at her response seeing her still overcoming the shock.
"Yeah, I am." He said with another small chuckle before he took a deep breath, "And. . . you know I'm not good at this stuff. I get flustered, I stutter, I have no clue what I'm doing – ever." He licked his lip nervously, "But, we're going to have a baby together, and . . . I want us to be a real family. And I don't want you to think I'm doing this just because you're pregnant. This baby, everything that's happened actually, everything that pushed us back together, I think it's the universe kicking me in the butt telling me to get it together. Because it is the apocalypse and I've already lost you once, I don't want to ruin our second chance and make any mistakes this time. I don't want to wait and then regret not doing all the things we always talked about. I want to have a real life with you, and I want us to start living it. So. . . " he let out a breathless chuckle, "Will you?"
She was speechless but she was also touched to her core. There were so many emotions bubbling together inside her she was having trouble functioning. Then Tommy took her hand and she noticed she was trembling.
"Are you shaking?" he asked and she nodded.
"A little. But not from the cold." She told him as the corner of her lip turned up.
"I don't know if that's good or bad."
"Yes."
"Yes that's good or –"
"Yes." She said again her voice firmer now as the shock wore off and she just felt warm all over.
"I. . . wait, you're saying yes?"
"Yes I'm saying yes." She giggled as her eyes shone with tears and she blamed her pregnancy for her crazy emotions, "Yes I'll marry you."
He smiled and she knelt down in front of him hugging him and burying her face in the curve of his neck.
"Really?" he asked pulling back a little as the smile took over his face turning into an ear to ear grin.
She nodded, "Yeah, really. Of course I'll marry you Ten Thousand." He leaned in and kissed her, his arms wrapping around her and pulling her close. When they pulled away they just stared at each other happily, Bailey's hands resting on either side of his jaw. Then they heard footsteps and Bailey looked over 10K's shoulder to see Addy coming through the trees.
"Hey, Kaya and Murphy came back to the truck. We got worried when you guys didn't show. Let's get out of here before that guy –" then she stopped when she saw the shooter's dead body in the snow and saw Bailey and 10K crouched together. "Oh my God, guys are you okay?" she asked concerned getting closer and seeing the tears now quietly rolling down Bailey's face, "10K are you hurt?"
"We're fine." 10K called from over his shoulder at her not taking his eyes off Bailey.
"Are you sure? I can get the others –"
10K rolled his eyes before turning and shouting at Addy over his shoulder, "Geez Addy, can't you let a guy propose?"
Addy dropped her Z Whacker and covered her mouth with both hands as she let out a shriek. Bailey laughed and 10K chuckled as she grabbed her bat and ran back the way she came shouting, "Guys! You won't believe this!"
"Well at least now we don't have to worry about telling everyone. Addy will do it for us." Bailey said still chuckling as she rested her head on his shoulder and he rested his cheek on her head still wrapping his mind around the fact that she'd said yes. Then a moment later they heard hurried footsteps and saw Addy running back over to them.
"She did say yes right?" she asked and they both laughed and nodded, "Good because I've already started telling people."
They chuckled before 10K looked down at her stomach and rested his hand over it, "You hear that Little K? Your momma and papa are getting married."
«»
As they drove to Altura Addy took Bailey's radio and tried to contact Citizen Z to let him, Warren and George know they'd found their runaway killer. While Addy fumbled with wires like the good old days Bailey and 10K stayed cuddled up in the back talking softly. She complimented his last minute slingshot and he blushed when he thanked her. Then he told her about how during their Black Rainbow mission he'd made another sling using an old windshield wiper he'd found when they were crossing the Great Pile. She was shocked to hear that he'd been through there and he was equally shocked when she told him she'd been there when the Man had been taking her to Zona – which made him glare at Murphy as he was reminded of his part in her pain. She gently grabbed Tommy's chin and turned his attention back to her which melted away his glare as she went on and he was impressed when she told him how she'd made that mobile to disguise the zombies that had been attracted to her during that time.
When they did get to Altura Paige and Luke, the guards on duty, let them in after taking just one look at the medicine crates in the truck bed. 10K stayed to help them unpack and asked Dave how many more people had gotten sick, since it was clear by the few guards at the gate that people were missing from the shift. Bailey and Murphy took Addy to the infirmary while Kaya went to find Citizen Z.
Red was good about taking in Addy and brought her over to her last available cot and pulled the curtain shut to give her a physical and make sure her legs didn't get any bad frostbite. Murphy lingered around and Bailey, though she never really liked or got along with Murphy, thought that him keeping an eye out for Addy's well being in Lucy's memory was sweet.
"Hey, kiddo. How you doing?" Doc asked coming over to her with a wide smile on his face.
"Not bad." Bailey said with a smile and a shrug. "How have things been here?"
Doc let out a long breath, "Stressful. More sick people every day, and already sick people getting worse. Some getting better, but now that we've got the meds coming I think we'll be okay."
She nodded and kept smiling, Doc must have seen something in her expression and goofy smile because he chuckled.
"I know that look." He said, "That's how I look after a few good puffs of Z-weed. But given your bun in the oven I doubt that's the cause of yours."
Bailey looked over to the curtain where she knew Red was. As good a friend she'd been to both her and 10K Bailey didn't want to risk putting salt in a wound by telling Doc her news so close to Red. She nodded to the hallway and he followed her out as they headed to his office.
"10K and I are engaged." She told him and his grin got even wider.
"Aw kid, come here!" he said pulling her in for a hug, "Congrats!"
"Thanks." Bailey said as they pulled out of the hug and sat on his couch.
"Wow." He said shaking his head still smiling.
"Yeah. . . it's one of those Pre-Z things I thought would never make a comeback."
"Marriage?"
She shook her head, "Engagement." She clarified, "Marriage I figured would just be a bit more last minute. Like two people surviving together deciding to just stay together and stay loyal to each other you know? No year long planning, no five course meals, no music or flowers. Not that we're going to have all that but I think I just haven't wrapped my mind around it yet."
"Well that's understandable. You've got a lot going on in a really short time." He said and she brought one hand to her stomach. She knew with a baby on the way marrying 10K would be the easiest thing she'd do. The baby would be another thing, a wonderful thing, but also a trickier thing.
"Have you and the Kid talked about that?" Doc asked being too good at his job and seeing what she was thinking like it was written across her forehead.
"About what. . . exactly?"
"Well a baby's a lot. It's a big change, a big responsibility." He began slowly, "If you two haven't sat down and talked about everything, ya'know get prepared, it might only make it harder down the road." Doc advised looking away and playing with his beard. Bailey was picking up something on the old hippie, her old reliable sense of reading people making her gut twist.
"Doc. . . did you ever have a kid?" she asked and he looked up at her and she was now sure of it, "You just. . .talk like you've been through this before."
He looked away again this time playing with a fraying patch on his pants and took a deep breath, "I had a son."
Her eyes widened at his admission.
"At nineteen." He added shaking his head, "I was too young. Ya know? Got scared when suddenly I had all this responsibility. Had this little life that I worried I'd mess up. . . so I left. I never called, never wrote. Always told myself I'd call and reconnect with him one day but, time just got away from me. Then the apocalypse happened and. . . now I don't even know if he's alive or dead. Even if he was alive I probably would have no idea even if he was standing in front of me." He gave a sad chuckle, "Not unless he was wearing a nametag that said Jeffrey Beck."
"Everyone makes mistakes Doc." She said softly, "We're only human."
He chuckled, "Ya know the only other person I ever told this to was a zombie?"
She gave a small laugh as the tension in the room began to vanish after Doc's story. Doc. . . Steven Doc Beck. . . then Bailey got the overwhelming sensation like she'd been slapped in the face. "Besides, isn't that what you want?" The Man asked and she looked up from her lap at him again as he faced her, "To be human again? So you can be with Tommy Beck again?"
Holy shit, she thought before her mind started doing the math. 10K had looked about twenty when she'd met him, so say his dad had him between, what? Twenty-five and thirty? That would have made him forty-five to fifty when he died. And Doc had his son at nineteen which adding in the age of 10K's father would put Doc in his sixties which was. . . spot on really.
Holy shit.