Day 25:
You and Shane had created a makeshift camp inside an abandon gas station on the side of the road. It had already been scavenged by other people, but there were still some useful items tucked away at the back and under shelves like a few canned corns and candy bars.
The two of you had managed to find some nails and with the old tool box that was already in the back of the truck, you were able to board up the windows and back doors with wooden slats. It would stop walkers from breaking in and to stop anyone from seeing inside if they happen to drive past, especially at night if you had any torches or lanterns on.
"How are you feeling? I heard you throwing up again early this morning." Shane asked, looking over at you from where you were sitting on your pile of blankets that you called a bed as you looked up from the book you had found a few days earlier. The book itself wasn't that interesting, but reading it kept your mind from thinking about the group, it stopped you from thinking about Rick, Carl, Lori and Daryl and wondering if they were still alive or not. "And don't say that you're fine because this has been going on for over a week." He added.
"I feel fine at the moment, it's probably just some bug. Give me another week and I'll be as good as gold." You replied, looking up from your book to find Shane leaning against the front counter as he stared at you. You knew he didn't believe a word you said and if you were being honest you didn't believe yourself either.
You were around Lori when she was pregnant with Carl, you knew all the symptoms and side effects of it. The tiredness, the nausea, the headaches, the strange food cravings you had been getting which were just ridiculous because you had never had food cravings in your life and not to mention you hadn't got your period yet. But, you couldn't be pregnant, that was just crazy. You couldn't be pregnant in the middle of the damn apocalypse without any doctors or hospitals. You had Shane, but that was it and as much as you loved the man like a brother, he wouldn't know the first thing about delivering a baby or how to look after one and hell, neither did you.
"If you're not, I'm gonna make a run into that town 10 miles back and see if there's any pharmacies there or something." Shane announced as he grabbed his thick jacket and threw it on.
"Want some help checking the traps?" You asked, knowing he was going to head outside to check the old cat traps you had set up in the woods with pieces of canned meat in hopes of catching something worth eating.
"Nah, I got it." He replied, grabbing the axe he had found a couple weeks earlier as he slipped it through the front of his belt before he walked out the front door of the gas station.
The second he was gone you were up and scanning the aisles of shelving trying to find the feminine hygiene section. It only took a few seconds before you found it and like the other shelves it was practically empty. A few packets of pads and tampons lying on the lower shelf although if your suspicions were true then you wouldn't need to use them for a while.
You quickly scanned the other shelves before your eyes landed on a pregnancy test at the very back and you grabbed it. Part of you didn't even want to know, but the more logical part of your brain knew it would better to know the truth and that way you could figure out how to deal with it.
You walked into the bathroom at the far end of the gas station and shut the door behind yourself in case Shane happened to come back earlier than you expected. You sat down on the closed lid of the toilet seat as you read the instructions on the packet because you had no clue how to work the stupid thing, you had never been in this situation before.
After doing what the instructions said, you walked back out into the main part of the gas station and sat back down on your blankets, placing the pregnancy test face down beside you. You had no way of timing how long you needed to wait for, but that was okay because by the time you forced yourself to pick the damn thing up anyway you were sure nearly 10 minutes had passed.
You stared at the plastic stick in your hands for a few seconds before flipping it over as a small positive sign stared right back at you.
You didn't even know to respond as you continued to stare at the test like if you kept looking at it then it would magically change to a negative, but as the minutes ticked by nothing happened and you felt yourself starting to panic.
You dropped the pregnancy test back down on the ground in front of you as you pulled your knees up to your chest, wrapping your arms around them. You were pregnant, you were carrying Daryl's child and he doesn't even know about it. How the hell were you meant to bring a baby into this world? Lori was going to do it, but she has Hershel, she has the whole group and she has her partner. You couldn't be a mother, you didn't know the first thing about looking after a baby. Yes, you helped out with Carl when he was a baby, but that felt like a lifetime ago.
You were so lost in your thoughts that you didn't even hear Shane walk through the front door, didn't even hear him call out to you until suddenly his hands were on your face as he crouched down in front of you.
"Hey, hey, what's wrong? Y/N, talk to me, why are you crying?" Shane frantically questioned in panic and you didn't even realise you had been crying until he said it which only made you cry even more. How the hell were you meant to tell him that you were pregnant? How were you meant to tell him that he was going to be an uncle? It was going to bring up his memories of Lori and you knew it has been hard on him knowing Lori was out there possibly carrying his or Ricks baby and he couldn't do a damn thing to help.
"Y/N, I need you to tell me what's wrong, I don't know what to do." He said, his hands still cupping the side of your face as he stared at you in worry.
"I-I'm..." You stuttered unable to finish the sentence as you pointed towards the pregnancy test sitting on the ground knowing it would probably be easier to show him than tell him.
You watched as Shane looked towards where you were pointing and spotted the plastic stick on the ground as he stared at it in confusion, clearly having no idea what it was.
He glanced back towards you with a questioning look before he removed his hands from you as he turned around and picked up the stick, flipping it over the right way as his body suddenly froze. Yep, he must have figured out what it was.
He didn't say anything for a few seconds as he stared at the positive pregnancy test in his hand trying to process what he was seeing before he turned back towards you.
"You're pregnant." He said and you just nodded, not trusting your voice as few tears escaped your eyes.
"Holy shit. It's Daryl's isn't it?" He asked and you just nodded again as Shane looked back down at the stick in his hands before he chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm just going to ignore the fact that I'm holding something that you have probably peed on... but holy shit, you're pregnant." Shane said causing you to smile slightly as he dropped the stick and turned his attention back towards you. Neither of you said anything for a few seconds as you tightened your hold around your knees being mindful of your broken wrist.
"I'm sorry." You whispered, not knowing what else to say because what could you say? You were pregnant, you were going to slow him down, you were going to become a reliability and when the baby is born... it'll attract walkers every time it cries, which will be all the time. Shane didn't sign up for this, hell you didn't either, but else could you do?
"No, don't apologise. This isn't your fault, come here." Shane replied softly as he dropped down beside you and pulled you into his chest as he hugged you tightly and that was all it took before you broke down crying again.
He didn't say anything for a while as he let you cry into him, whispering soft soothing words to you occasionally as he held you tightly.
"It's gonna be okay. We'll work it out, do you want to keep it?" He asked, catching you off guard by the question because you didn't even consider not keeping the baby. As much as you wanted to get rid of it because logically you knew it would be easier without having to worry about a baby on top of everything else, deep down you knew you wouldn't be able to go through with it. You couldn't get rid of the baby.
"Yeah, I think so." You answered, proud of yourself for stringing a few words together and saying them out loud as Shane pulled away from you slightly, his hand still resting over your back as he looked at you.
"Then that's all that matters. We'll work it out."
Day 91:
The two of you ended up living inside the store of the gas station for the entire winter. You did a couple supply runs into a near by town for food and any warm clothes or blankets you could find since you couldn't exactly light a fire inside the store without smoking yourselves out.
Luckily the winter wasn't too bad, it snowed a bit and it was definitely cold, but with the number of blankets and jackets you had collected the two of you were fine inside the store.
You were surprised that neither of you had gotten sick of each other yet, considering when you were kids Shane used to have sleepovers at your house with Rick all the time and you'd get sick of being around each other for 24 hours let alone being around each other for three months.
The morning sickness or more like all fucking day sickness was still frequent, but you managed to find some anti-nausea pills in the town a few weeks ago which seemed to help. You were only three months pregnant and your stomach was just starting to get a small bump to it, but it was practically invisible when you were wearing clothes.
Shane had even surprised you one day after returning from a trip to town with a bag full of pregnancy books about dealing with pregnancy and raising a new born. He even got a couple books about how babies were delivered so he could try and learn as much as he possibly could because there was a high chance that it was just going to be the two of you when that time comes. Despite your hopes of finding the group and having Hershel help you deliver the baby.
The days were starting to get warmer now as winter came to a end and over the course of winter you managed to fill up a few jerry cans full of fuel for when you decided to hit the road again. You were excited to get back on the road and try find the group, but at the same time you didn't want to leave the gas station. It was the first safe and secure place you have had since the farm.
Day 243:
You had been on the road for a few months now, the back of the truck filled up with the gear you took from the gas station, mainly blankets, weapons, food and water. Although you were starting to run out of fuel, down to your last jerry can and that was going to cause a problem because there was no way you'd be able to walk along the road all day or live in the woods when you were eight months pregnant.
"We'll find somewhere to stay for the next few months. Some place safe where you can have the baby and look after it." Shane said, glancing over at you as you sat in the passenger seat of the truck, your hand resting over your very distinct baby bump that couldn't even be hidden with your military jacket.
"Where? We don't have much fuel left and I doubt we'll be able to find a place that's fucking sound proof because I don't know about you, but Carl used to cry and scream all the time when he was baby." You snapped, turning away from Shane as you stared out your side window and you heard Shane sigh. You didn't mean to get angry at him, he has done nothing but help and look after you this whole time. Although by now he was probably used to sudden mood swings.
"We'll find somewhere. There's a town up ahead, surely there's a building there that's suitable." He replied, his tone calm and gentle, but you knew he was fighting the urge to snap at you. Shane had always been hot-headed and easy to start an argument with and the apocalypse had done nothing by heightened those traits of his.
You didn't say anything after that not wanting to make him snap at you, although you probably deserved it for snapping at him earlier which wasn't even the first time you got angry at him that day.
It didn't take long before you reached the town as Shane slowed the truck down as you drove through the main street. Your eyes scanned the buildings and side streets for any signs of danger, but there seemed to be only a few walkers stumbling around the bare streets as you drove past which was a good sign.
You mentally took note of all the buildings as Shane continued to drive before he stopped in front of a large old fashioned building on the outskirts of the town that looked to be a library.
"Stay in here while I check the building." Shane instructed, leaving the car engine running as he reached for his door handle, but you shook your head.
"I'm not letting you go in there by yourself. I'm pregnant, but I can still shoot." You responded, pulling your handgun out your holster, not giving Shane a choice as you climbed out the truck and followed him towards the large building.
To your relief there were only a few walkers inside that Shane easily took down with his axe before you both secured the area and began bringing all your gear from the truck into the building.
The library was just full of book shelves after book shelves and you looked forward to checking them out, but you were more focused on the reading area of the library which was full of various couches and tables that looked a lot more comfy to sleep on than the seats in the truck.
The building was in good condition despite how old fashioned it was which was good because old houses like this had thick walls which meant any walkers that walk past won't be able to hear anything outside. The library also had a fire place near the couches which was good, because in a few months it would be winter again.
"I'll go check out that day-care building tomorrow morning, see what I can find. Maybe check that grocery store a few shops over from it too, I doubt there'd be much inside, but it's worth a look." Shane announced as he jumped over back of the 'L' shaped couch opposite you as he laid down with a relaxing sigh causing you to chuckle as you leant back on the soft dark green couch you had taken a liking too.
"Thank you. I know I drive you crazy sometimes, but I appreciate everything you've done for me." You said, looking over at him as he still laid on the couch and looked to be ready to fall asleep.
"Don't start getting sentimental with me, woman. You're like a sister to me, it's practically my job." Shane replied causing you to smile slightly as you leant back into the couch, contemplating whether to have a quick nap or not before Shane started talking again. "Lori's probably already had her baby, they probably know if it's a boy or girl by now." He commented causing you to smile sadly as you thought about your family.
"Rick and I were just starting to talk about co-parenting the baby, we were just staring to get it sorted out and then later that day the herd came and well..." Shane trailed off as he looked over at you sadly.
"We'll see the group again. I don't know when or how, but we will all find each other." You replied, because you weren't ever going to stop until you find your family again.
"I can just imagine Daryl's face when he finds out that he's a father or Rick's face when he finds out that he's an uncle." Shane commented causing you both to smile as you pictured those moments in your head. Their reactions would be priceless.
Day: 280
You laid on the couch, a pillow tucked under your head as you cradled your newborn baby to your chest. Tiny fingers curled around your pinky finger as you stared down at your daughter, watching as she slowly opened her eyes and you could only imagine how weird everything must seem as she took everything in for the first time. She stirred slightly in your arms, probably not used to all the free space after being inside the womb for so long. You couldn't believe how tiny she saw, how vulnerable and adorable she was.
She was only a few hours old, but you knew you would die for her without hesitation.
"How is she?" Shane's voice whispered as he quietly walked back into the room after cleaning himself up and changing clothes that were dirty after he helped you deliver the baby.
"Finally asleep." You answered, your voice barely above a whisper, afraid that you might wake her up. You looked over at Shane as he crouched down beside you with a bright smile on his face as he stared at his baby niece that was currently wearing a tiny pink jumpsuit that was still a bit too big for her.
"She's beautiful. Does she have a name yet?" Shane asked quietly.
"Sophia."
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A/N- I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, as I said last chapter there wasn't any Daryl in this one or the next one, but I promise the wait will be worth it.
Hopefully I can post another chapter this weekend, but if not I hope you all have a great day and stay safe xx