MADISON'S POV.
I feel somebody poke my shoulder and I groan, turning my head in the opposite direction.
The poking gets harder.
"Guys, wake up!"
"GET UP MADS!" Carl roars and I'm suddenly sitting up, the room around me spinning. I blink several times and try to make sense of what's going on.
I look at Carl and he rolls his eye.
"About time. Jesus!" He complains, throwing the blanket off us in one hand and looking at his watch with the other.
I shake Kai awake and he sits up too. He looks just as confused as I was and then his eyes focus on my face. He smiles and points to his chin. I follow his action and wipe drool from my chin.
Great.
"Dreaming of me again?" He teases.
I scoff, hitting his shoulder lightly and climbing off of him, allowing him to sit properly.
"We've got guests." Carl points behind us and I twist to see Carol, Ezekiel and Henry in the door way.
I smile. "Hey Zeeks."
He frowns. "We agreed you'd stop calling me that."
"No, you agreed."
"Cut it out." Ezekiel grumbles as they take a seat next to us.
"Zeeko?" I tease.
"No."
"Zeekie?"
"Nope."
"How about just 'Zed'"
"It's getting worse."
"So, What brings you here?" I chuckle.
"Henry is flying the coop." Ezekiel frowns.
"Oh, right, yes. You want to work with Kai in construction." I remember.
"Unfortunately." Carol mumbles.
I feel bad for her. She raised this kid, took him in as her own and made a family and now he wants to leave. That has to sting.
"You want me to show you around today? Show you what we're up to in construction?" Kai offers Henry and in response his face lights up.
"Yeah, that would be great."
"We should probably warn you. There's a bit of a situation outside." Carol informs us and I find that I'm instantly on my feet, heading towards the door.
"What situation?" I demand, as I retch my bow from the umbrella stand. A million questions fly through my head. What other problem do we have to add to the list?
"Easy Pocahontas. It's nothing we haven't dealt with before." Carl mocks, pointing at my bow.
I sigh in frustration.
"What happened?"
"Alex had another... incident."
"Oh!" I relax.
Alex and wren, the twins that most people tend to avoid because of Alex's unpredictable condition. They also happen to be the quieter of the small group that came from the asylum along with Jayden and Marnie. Alex has dissociative identity disorder and it lands her in some pretty intense situations. She can't help it so the community have learned to just go with it, to adapt with her.
"Michonne is down there with her and Wren right now. I think they might have moved to the infirmary."
"Well, where are the newbies?"
Carl shrugs.
"Shoot."
"I better go make sure they're being taken care of."
"'Kay. Kara and Judith are up. Kara practically ran out the door. I think she's avoiding you." He shakes his head.
"I'll deal with her later." I promise as I run upstairs to change my clothes.
Once I'm ready, I bounce back down the stairs, grab my bow and arrows and open the door. I stop in my tracks when I get to the porch steps and reverse back into the house.
"Nice to see you guys again by the way." I smile to Henry and the others.
"Bye Madison." Ezekiel calls after me.
"See you around Zeeks."
I move swiftly towards the infirmary. I don't bother going the long way around like usual, Negan wasn't in his cell according to Kai. It bothers me when I notice how I usually planned my small trek around him. I sigh and keep up the pace.
The door to the infirmary is wide open when I get there and sure enough Michonne is there with a very serious look on her face. She stands still in the door way with Wren anxious at her side. Alex sits up on the small hospital bed while Siddiq checks her. I scan the room for Magna and the others but they're nowhere to be seen.
I knock on the door and all heads turn quickly to face me.
"Do you mind if I come in?" I ask, looking only at Alex.
She nods politely and then I look to Siddiq for confirmation but of course he smiles welcomingly.
"Uh, I heard you had another-"
"Meltdown?" Alex finishes for me.
I shrug, approvingly and Michonne flashes me a cold glare.
"Episode." Siddiq corrects her.
"Episode? I tore the house to shreds and nearly killed my own brother."
"Normal day, huh?" The sarcasm leaks out of my mouth before I can stop myself and even I cringe but Michonne lifts her hand to smack the back of my head.
"You'll have to excuse Madison. She has a tendency to say the wrong things at the wrong time." She growls.
Thankfully, Alex just laughs.
"That wasn't you Alex." Wren comforts her.
"It was part of me."
An awkward silence fills the air and I think of some way to fill it but Michonne is probably right. If I open my mouth I would definitely make this situation worse.
"Why are you here Madison?" Michonne sighs.
"I was just wondering where Magna, Kelly, Yumiko, Connie and Luke are?" I ask, looking to Siddiq.
He nods uncomfortably.
"Yeah, well, I know you were trying to rest after those few days but I was finding it hard to juggle between work and watching them but they're not bad people. I trust them and I left them in a house and they promised to stay there."
"That wasn't your call to make! You're job is to watch them like a hawk." Michonne says, harshly.
"It's my fault. I should've been there to help. It won't happen again." I promise her.
"I'll take over the next shift right now but first, I just want to chat with Siddiq for a minute." I inform them.
Siddiq's eyes light up curiously.
"Well, I was just gonna walk Alex and Wren home. Do you mind waiting a few minutes?"
I shake my head and take a seat on the bottom of the hospital bed.
Alex climbs off the bed and joins her brother. Michonne leads the way outside and Siddiq closes the door behind them. I sit quietly in the now empty room. My eyes scan along the posters and books on the wall as I try to pass the time.
These books must be what Siddiq studies from. Probably what he wants me to study from. I remember the job offer he gave me and how desperate he was for me to take it. I feel bad that I've barely given it any thought but I've already got enough on my plate.
My eyes jump from poster to poster and just like the last day, my eyes stop at one in particular. A pregnancy poster.
I'm not sure why it struck me before but now I just feel uneasy seeing it for a second time.
I feel like almost every woman at some point had a pregnancy scare before they were ready for their own family, so every woman has had the same nervous, jittery feeling in their stomach when they think too far into it. My mind races too as I stare at the poster.
Silly! You're just being silly!
I look away from the poster but my eyes automatically jump to the ultrasound scanner bundled up neatly in the back of the room, probably collecting dust at this stage. I sigh in frustration.
This is what happens when people leave me alone, I drive myself crazy!
My eyes involuntarily trail back up to the poster of the lady with the swollen belly, showing the baby and all the anatomy.
Kai said I looked sick.
He practically begged me to get a check up from Siddiq.
I remember last night and the sudden panic I had when I realized just how right Kai had been.
I do look sick.
I am sick, I've been throwing up.
I'm exhausted all the time.
I'm nauseous.
Migraines, horrible migraines.
But I have no appetite.
Could that be a symptom too?
Silly Madison! Stop over thinking things!
I think back to last month.
Did I get my period?
To my horror, I find that I can't remember.
I stand to my feet and try to calm myself but my mind races forward, thinking of a million possible scenarios.
"You're panicking Madison. Think!"
So much has been happening lately, it's easy just to loose track.
I try to think back to when I found out I was pregnant with Kara. I didn't have many symptoms, mainly just morning sickness but the other symptoms now are definitely ticking some boxes.
My heart takes off into a sprint and already I can feel my palms getting sweaty. I rub them against my jeans.
"Stupid fucking room, playing with my head!" I mutter as I match towards the door.
I yank it open and storm off.
I feel instantly better once the cool air hits my skin again.
"Madison?" Siddiq calls from the other side of the road.
I stop in my tracks.
"Uh, I, I just realized I have somewhere to be. I'll come back another time."
I take off at the same speed my heart seems to be hammering at. I'm overreacting, it's what I do. I just need to calm down. There's no need to panic.
I slow down and walk at a brisk pace instead of a full blown sprint.
Why am I always running from something. Ugh!
I watch the gravel disappear behind me as I move quickly, with me head down. What had I even come out here for in the first place?
"Umph!" I feel my breath leave my lungs too suddenly as I slam into something hard.
I look up to find Carl looking down at me with an odd expression. His hands fly to my elbows to steady me as I wobble from the sudden impact.
"You okay? What's wrong?"
I shake my head. "Nothings wrong."
"Really? You looked like you were about to combust with anger."
Anger?
I shake my head again.
"I'm fine. Just thinking." I look around me and find myself only a few feet away from Negans old cell.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were working today?" I ask him.
"Nah, came t help Daryl with Lydia though. She doesn't talk much."
"I can help with that."
He rolls his eyes. "Knowing you, you'll just cause trouble than we need."
"Fair enough." I fake a smile.
"Where's Kara then if she's not with you?"
"With dad. I think they're planting crops or something."
I nod once.
A loud bang comes from the cell and we both turn our heads and move quietly to the side so we can peer in through the small window instead of going inside.
"I won't ask again." Daryl spits.
"I've already told you. I don't know!" Lydia snaps back just as angrily.
"She kinda reminds me of you, you know." Carl whispers and I drop my jaw mockingly, shoving him slightly.
"I'm not teasing. She's exactly you. Bad temper. Snappiness. Easily winded up. The ability to turn your head away from threats as if they're nothing." He checks the small list of vague characteristics off his fingers.
"I never snitched though." I reply.
"True."
"Well, maybe instead of threatening her, you should try a different approach." I whisper as we both watch Daryl and Lydia converse violently.
"Like what?" He asks curiously.
"She's like, what, sixteen, seventeen? Charm your way into getting your answers. If she acts like I did as much as you say she does then it would probably work. I'd fall for it."
Carl turns his head to look at me with shock.
"I mean back then. When we were younger." I correct.
Carl quickly recovers to a poker face and then shrugs. "I don't know. She's just a kid. It seems a little...wrong."
I back away from the window and walk back onto the street. Carl mimics me and stands on the edge of the road with me as we look over at the wall. A large group works efficiently to expand it again. I spot Kai working effortlessly with his team. He holds up a plank of timber with four other men and one girl.
His shirt is patched with sweat marks from his hard work and He wears a belt of tools which drag his jeans down low on his waist.
I gawk for way longer than I should but he can't see me from here so I don't care. I enjoy the view. I only peel my eyes away for Carl's sake.
Thank you gravity!
Beside Kai I notice the familiar blonde boy that I had seen only this morning. Kai shows him what to do, what tools to work with and what way he wants him to work on this particular project.
"Maybe you're right Carl. Maybe we need somebody a little closer to Lydia's age." I smile, pointing to Henry.
Carl raises his brows, not in complete disapproval though. I know enough about Henry to know he has a kind soul, he wanted to share his talents with us, with someone who needed his help. He's polite and cheeky all at once. He seems different to other kids. Not one that complains all day but who genuinely believes he can make a difference.
Maybe he'll want to extend help to someone he might think truly needs it, even if he knows he shouldn't. If he's as naive and innocent as he seems he might just get us the answers we need. I'm totally aware how shitty of a thing that is for me to say or even suggest, but we've got targets on our backs right now and nothing to loose. Nothing bad could seriously happen with just one potential conversation. Right?
"Mads, he only just got here."
"And it's probably about time he earned his keep." I reply quickly. He shoots me a disapproving look before I continue. I notice that he didn't exactly shut down the selfish an evil plan I just presented.
"Construction can wait. Look, I have my own stuff to worry about tonight but I'll help if I can. All I know is that Henry needs to be in that cell with Lydia tonight."
"But how do I get him-"
"Hey, I can't give you all the answers. Wheres the fun in that?"
"You don't know how to get him there either, do you?"
"Not a clue." I admit. "But let me know how it turns out. I'm already curious." I smile.
He rolls his eyes but continues to stare straight ahead at Henry. I can already see his brain working up a million possibilities behind those eyes as I walk away to deal with my most recent burden.