Disclaimer:
Carol Peletier, Sophia Peletier, King Ezekiel, Henry, Jerry, Shiva, and any other recognizable character or plot of The Walking Dead belong to AMC Network and Skybound Entertainment, Image Comics and Robert Kirkman.
This is a work of fiction and in no way is the author claiming to own any of the characters, nor is there any economic/monetary gain at any time. The author is extremely respectful of the original creators and is willing to take down this work of fiction if requested.
No copyright infringement intended.
Original characters are the property of the author.
Zoo Baby
With the tiger cubs that have recently been born to the zoo, Ezekiel's job has increased tenfold. Being one of the primer caregivers for the mother rejected cubs means a lot of extra hours ensuring that the cubs are fed, warm, clean and cared for. Overseeing their development and nurturing has been a 24/7 endeavor Ezekiel would have gladly take a part of without a second doubt, but the timing couldn't be worse, especially because one of the little cubs is so dangerously close to not making it and even more importantly because he is so close to being a father.
Carol, his wife, has been understanding and reassuring, telling him that this is something he must do. He must care for little Dwen and Shiva and make sure that they survive this critical time. Yet, as much as he wants to focus on the cubs he can't help but worry for Carol and his child. He's torn between ensuring the tiger population continues growing and running back home to spend the last moments of Carol's pregnancy with her.
He almost wishes she'd grown mad at him for practically living at the zoo instead of encouraging him.
They speak every night through video calls on the nights he can't make it home. She tells him all about her day, how often their child is moving, if her back is hurting, or if her feet are swollen. Carol usually ends up with her blouse over her belly, tucked underneath her breasts, turning from side to side so that he can see how their child moves. Afterward, they talk all about the cubs and he gives her stats about them. She might not be a tiger expert but she knows the basic procedures, having herself been on neo-natal teams for the giraffes she so loves.
The special nights he can go home, Ezekiel makes his way to her as fast as he can and embraces her, losing himself in her, making love to her and worshipping her as best he can. He especially likes to spend time caressing her belly, mapping it for when their child has been born and he's no longer able to see her swollen with their baby.
Leaving her the next day is the hardest thing he's ever had to do.
"My dear Shiva, we must redouble our efforts in this endeavor." He whispers as he brings little Shiva up to his line of sight. The tiny tiger protests the change in position, mewling as she extends her tiny feet, showing off her mighty claws. She's so small she fits in his hand and it is his main job at the moment to get her to a survivable weight. "There is no ounce to lose, we simply must not permit ourselves to waiver in our attempts to grow."
The tiger makes a sound of protest then settles against his chest. He quickly brings the food syringe to her lips, teasing her with the rubber nipple they've placed on the tip. Shiva moves her head around but eventually settles on receiving the much-needed nourishment.
"Perfect, little tiger." Ezekiel praises. "Show the world how mighty you'll become."
Feeding time is interrupted by the ringing of the landline. Shiva growls her disdain to being interrupted mid-meal but settles again once he's returned the syringe to her mouth.
Balancing the phone on the crook of his shoulder, Ezekiel rearranges the cub and the syringe to a better position before finally speaking. "Tiger Rehab."
He hears some shuffling before the voice of his wife reaches him. "Ezekiel?"
"Is it time?" He asks, his back straightening in a sharp movement as he impatiently waits to hear why his wife is calling him.
"No," Carol quickly informs him in a very short tone. "That is the problem. It's not time yet. Your daughter doesn't want to be born. She's taking her sweet time and I want her out."
He can't help but chuckle at her words. He knows she's ready to have little Sophia, not only to finally be able to hold their daughter but also to reclaim her body. Sophia has come to them late in their marriage and the pregnancy has not been kind to Carol despite his attempts to give her every comfort he can afford.
"Tonight is home night. Jerry will be taking over my duties and I will be goi…"
"No need, I'm in the worker's parking lot."
Wait. What?
"I must have misheard you, my love." He says in a tone that is almost begging her to say she had been joking. "The worker's parking lot?"
"You heard me right." He hears the repetitive beep that tells him she's already gotten rid of her seat belt but is still sitting inside of the car.
"May I question why you are here?"
"Because you need to come out here and tell your daughter that enough is enough. She's three weeks late and I'm tired. My back hurts, my feet are swollen, at least I think they are because I haven't seen them in months, my breasts ache, I have to pee constantly, and she keeps kicking me like it was her only mission in this world."
He knows better than to tell her to go back home, especially with the way that she's speaking. She's done, she's reached the end of her patience. As much as she's loved, as they've loved her being pregnant, she's at the end of her rope. Right now, she needs encouragement and understanding which he is more than willing to provide.
"Stay within the vehicle." He begs her, the last thing they need is for her to catch a cold. "I will delegate Shiva's feeding time and meet you there. Beloved, please wait for me."
"I'll wait." She promises, her tone softening considerably.
He does as promised. As soon as he's hung up the phone he moves to where he last saw his partner and after checking that he is done with feeding Dwen, he hands over Shiva who complains all the while about the change in handler. After making sure that Shiva is settled, he rushes to grab his coat and hat, puts it on then goes out the door.
The air is frigid and it bites at his hands. He's tempted to go back and grab his forgotten gloves but he doesn't want to lose any more time. He can see his breath coming out in puffs of air but he soldiers on, holding his body stiffly against the cold. By the time he makes it to the parking lot, the tip of his nose is bright red and cold.
He spots her Cherokee right away and rushes towards her side. Carol opens the door as soon as she sees him come near. He has to stifle a chuckle as he sees his wife wrapped up in the biggest coat he owns, a bright red scarf covering not only her neck but half of her face, the tip of her nose far redder than his, a puffy thick dark red winter hat on her head, covering most of her forehead and the tips of her ears. In fact, all he can see is her bright blue eyes made bluer by the contrast of the red around her face.
"You are freezing." He notes. Carol is already trying to climb out but he stops her as he notices that her boots are unlaced. He quickly moves to lace them so that she won't fall, that's the last thing they need.
"I couldn't reach them." She admits. "Your daughter is in the way."
Ezekiel laughs at her words before turning to look at her from where he is crouching, his fingers busy in lacing her boots for her. "Why is she only my child when she's creating havoc?"
"Because she takes after you," Carol concludes as he finishes. She slides off the car and into his embrace. He steadies her already balance suffering body before she can slide on the wet floor. "Always gets too excited with everything."
He closes the door after her then presses an arm around her waist, steadying her as they start walking. They go slowly, Carol wobbling more than walking, but he patiently goes at her rhythm, even holding her back when she starts going too fast. He knows Carol is still trying to start labor but they've already done the walking around the house, the mall and even the cold neighborhood and nothing has happened. He also happens to know that if she tries to walk too fast she will slip and fall.
It takes them far longer than normal to get back to the Tigers Rehab building but they eventually make it. As soon as they go in, he starts taking off his own jacket and hat, after all the building is kept at a comfortable temperature needed to rehabilitate the newborn cubs. Once he's discarded his things, he starts taking off layer upon layer of Carol's clothing until he finally reaches a thin cardigan she's known to wear everywhere she goes. The cardigan hardly closes anymore in front of her belly, which is why she's resorted to using his jackets and sweaters, but she likes it and he knows it serves as a comfort item now that she's so nervous about the impending birth. It's her own security blanket.
Almost as soon as her belly is revealed, Ezekiel has his hands on the swell. He can't help it, his hands are like magnets to her belly. From the moment he found out that she was pregnant, that the daughter they'd so wished was on the way, his hands had become a permanent fixture on her belly. Whether it was by hooking a hand around her hip with his fingers slightly touching the swell, or by hugging her from behind, his head resting on her shoulder and his hands pressed on either side, or by snuggling behind her on the bed, his hands tracing flowers on her belly, he always made some type of contact. Even when they sat side by side at a zoo function or at a restaurant, he kept his hand on her thigh, her belly pressed against the side of his hand and arm.
Carol knows its not because he's laying claim to her and their child, despite that being the reason many say he does it, but because half of the time he's trying to convince himself that this is not a dream and they are actually pregnant and the other half he's trying to somehow already protect the little life they have created.
This time, as soon as his hands make contact with her body, he knows why she's so ready to birth their baby. Sophia is kicking up a storm, high up where her feet are now located, over and over as she distends the swell of her mother's belly.
"Sophia." He says in a loving warm tone as both of his hands cradle the large swell of her wife's belly.
The sound of her name coming from her father's lips is all it takes for her daughter to settle. He shares a look with his wife which prompts Carol to playfully roll her eyes at him. "Of course, as soon as you say her name she calms down. I've been begging her to give me a break for hours."
"She knows better than to contend with her father." Ezekiel leans down, bending his knees enough to press a kiss to the top of Carol's belly.
He hasn't come back to his full height before Carol is teasingly saying. "Is Sophia the only one lucky enough to get a kiss?"
He looks down at her, his lips curling into a grin as she looks at him with her head tilted back, a playful shine in her eyes, eyebrow raised and one end of the end of her lips curled higher than the other. Her nose is still bright red which only adds to the beauty that slays him. "Not at all." He leans down and gives her a quick peck on the lips.
Carol pouts, narrowing her eyes at him. He can't help but chuckle before leaning down once more and giving his wife a proper kiss. It's only when he feels her relax against his embrace, all signs of tensed muscles disappearing from her body, that he pulls back.
"She's been giving you a hard time." He slides his hand off her belly then presses it against her back before guiding her towards the nearest comfortable chair. He helps her counterbalance her weight as she sits down. It doesn't take long for Carol to lean back, her hands smoothing circles around her belly, a sigh of relief leaving her parted lips.
"She refuses to come out." She reminds him as if she hadn't just told him through the phone or he hadn't realized that their child had yet to be born. "She's late! I only signed up for nine months but I think she's aiming to stay there longer. Nothing fits me anymore, none of my jackets will close around her and I had to take one of yours to cover myself. My back hurts like never before, my hands and feet are swollen, my breast ache, I haven't seen my feet in forever and I'm exhausted trying to get her out."
"Do you recall what our physician said?" He asks in the softest voice he can utter.
That earns him another roll of the eyes from Carol. "Yes, I remember. I don't think that she's ever had a child though, at least not one as stubborn as Sophia because if she did she wouldn't be telling me how every child is different and how every child comes at its own time. I'm done being pregnant, Zeke." She finishes with another pout, this time a real one.
"I understand my love." He crouches in front of her once more, his hand settling against her knee and gently massaging the area subconsciously. "But we must be patient. Sophia will arrive when she is thoroughly ready."
Carol takes in a deep breath and slowly releases it. "Can't she be ready already? She listens to you, please tell her to go ahead and be born."
Ezekiel grins and presses his hand to the top of Carol's belly. He knows the time is near, her belly has already dropped lower from where she's been carrying most of the pregnancy, but he knows that this knowledge only brings his wife more grief simply because, despite the signs that point to her pregnancy ending, their daughter refuses to make the final trek into the world.
"I just want to hold her." Carol tries to discretely brush off the tears that only a tired body can produce.
He sees them though and it breaks his heart to see her cry in exhaustion and motherly expectation. They aren't alone, his colleagues are in the next room tending to the tiger cubs, but he finds that he doesn't care even as he leans forward and presses his lips to the swell, keeping his head close to the area he knows Sophia's head is near. "Sophia?" He starts. "Sweet princess of mine, we remain expectant to your arrival. Mama and I crave nothing more but to hold you, to see your lovely face, to hear you cry and aid in your growth, but we cannot do so if you remain within Mama. If it pleases you, my sweet princess, to make your presence known to this world let me reassure you that we are ready to receive you."
He pulls back when he receives a swift kick as if Sophia is telling him that she'll consider his request. Looking up at Carol, he finds her with tear-filled eyes and a quivering chin. He knows better than to ask if she's alright for he knows her hormones often leave her in tears even when she's extremely happy. She places a hand on top of his and gently squeezes it before once more brushing away her tears as she looks up to prevent other tears from being released. "God, I love you." She whimpers before looking down at him once more. "I love you so much."
"And I love you."
From the other room, Ezekiel hears Shiva loudly, or as loudly as she can, protest whatever she is experiencing. Shiva has always been the picky one, the one that won't feed with just anyone. A change in the routine they've established in her short life can become a deep upset for her. He's been expecting to hear her displeasure, what he hasn't expected to hear is his colleagues sudden cursing.
"Zeke! Get in here!" He hears just as dread starts settling in his stomach. The fast footsteps that follow make him quickly turn towards the sound. From the corner a head appears, a look of fear and urgency etched in its features.
He's getting up before he realizes that his body is moving. Carol once more squeezes his hand to catch his attention. "Go." She assures him. She works with giraffes and rehabilitating them so she understands that sometimes issues arise, issues that require immediate attention whether you want to leave your wife's side or not.
"We'll be fine." She assures him before releasing his hand and smoothing it down her belly. "Go, the twins need you."
He gives her a nod as he starts walking backward. The last he sees is Carol relaxing against the padded chair, a look of worry on her face.
It's hours later when he's finally able to leave Shiva's side.
He is defeated, his shoulders slumping as he walks towards the zoo keeper's quarters designed for when they must stay overnight. He's been acquainted with those quarters far more than he wishes he's been, but for the first time, he's eager to reach them for he knows that's where Carol is waiting.
They lost one of the twins.
What he had first thought was Shiva protesting the change of her routine had turned out to be her distress at sensing something wrong with Dwen. The tiny tiger had started to convulse by the time he'd entered the room leaving them no time to dwell. They'd done everything they could, even thinking outside the box to find solutions, but in the end, little Dwen's heart had proven too weak to withstand what her body was going through and she had passed. They tried to make it as peaceful as possible, to prevent her from suffering, but he knew the tiger had been in pain until its last breath.
He needs to hold his wife close, to hear her heart beating under his ear, to feel the slow rise and fall of her chest as she sleeps or her fingers teasing the roots of his hair.
As soon as he opens the door to the sleeping quarters he realizes that peace by his wife side is not what is ahead of him.
Carol isn't asleep as he initially thought, instead he finds her leaning against the table, rocking from side to side, head hanging low, and a low moan coming from between her parted lips. She's dressed in one of his shirts, one of the only things that fits her. She must have brought the shirt in her bag with the intention to use as pajamas.
"Carol?" He asks concerned. He crosses the space between them in a matter of seconds, his hand finding its place against her back.
Carol shakes her head, her eyes closed as she keeps focus on whatever she is doing. She does, however, lean back to press fully against his hand.
He slides his other hand down to her belly in a position that is well known to them. In order to help her deal with the back pain that came from lounging around their child, he's found that he can hold her belly from behind and provide not only a small amount of relief by lifting some of the weight from her back but also something strong yet comfortable to lean against.
But her belly isn't as it usually is; soft to the touch with the underlying strength of her womb protecting their child. Instead, he finds it hard, a hardness that tells him what's happening right away; she's in labor.
It's not until Carol lets out a breath of air, slumping back against him, that he finally finds his voice. "How long?"
"Almost as soon… as you left." She whimpers turning her head so that she can hide her face against his neck and hair. "Hurts."
"We must transport you to the hospital." She's shaking her head before he can even finish what he is saying.
"Too late." She whimpers once more before she once again leans forward, her hands catching the end of the table as a loud groan leaves her body. "She's coming."
Carol takes a hand off the table and blindly searches for his. Once she's gotten hold of his fingers, she guides them to her belly, smoothing the shirt down her front, then towards her center. He's surprised to find that not only is she not wearing underwear, the shirt providing cover to hide the evidence, but also that her body has changed, a dome-like shape giving passage to the top of their daughter's head.
"God." He whispers as a rush of adrenaline takes over his body. "She's coming."
Carol chuckles before groaning once again. She seems to hold her breath and silence takes over the room as he struggles to understand that what he is feeling is the top of his daughter's head, the soft fuzz of her baby hair against his palm.
A groan as Carol releases the strength she's using to push, brings him out of his thoughts. "Why didn't you call out for me?" He asks her. He changes positions, crouching beside her. What he has felt is breathtaking; their daughter is crowning and will be born at any moment.
"Didn't… want to… interrupt." She says between intakes of breath. She starts pushing right away, her thighs shaking against his hands with the effort she's using. "Important."
Yes, taking care of a tiny tiger is important but it isn't as important as getting medical aid for your laboring wife or being able to witness your daughter's birth. Once more he feels himself at odds; the Ezekiel that has devoted most of his life to wildlife conservation clashing with the man who is so in love with his wife that he sometimes can't breathe and finds it hard to leave her side. It pains him that Carol thinks that she is below tigers in the scale of importance and he vows to talk to her and show her just how much more important she and Sophia are to him.
"We shall talk about that later," he promises before pressing a kiss to her leg. "Someone seems to have changed her mind about being born and now is in a hurry to meet us."
What feels like endless contractions sweep through Carol. They leave her tired and out of breath, with shaky legs and sweaty body, holding herself upright as best as she can while practically doing a high squat. One of Ezekiel's hands holds the dome of their child, giving Carol something to push against and making sure that she doesn't hurt herself, while the other smooths up and down her leg, occasionally losing itself up in the shirt as he makes skin to skin contact with her belly.
"Ti.. tired." She whimpers. He knows she's not just tired but deeply exhausted, however there is nothing they can actually do now but shoulder through. As soon as Sophia is born and he's got them situated he will phone emergency services.
"I know, my love, but you must keep pushing."
The next contraction is even stronger, almost making her knees buckle from under her, but it brings enough force that with her aid their daughter's head slips out. Ezekiel exclaims happily as he cradles their child's head, supporting her neck as their child naturally turns in order for her shoulders to slip out.
It only takes three more strong pushes before the baby slips from within her. A healthy baby cry fills the room as their tiny daughter protests leaving the warm home she's been living in. Her small body curls into itself, trying to keep warm as she is transferred to her mother's arms. Ezekiel has to support both Carol and his child against his body for Carol is far too exhausted to keep her upward position.
"I've got you." He promises them.
A loud knock on the door makes baby Sophia cry even harder. He almost wants to tell whoever is at the door to go away and stop making his little one cry but he then remembers that Carol just gave birth to their child in the zoo's Tiger Rehabilitation Center and they need to take her to the hospital so he ends up yelling at them to call an ambulance.
"Oh, my sweet baby." He hears Carol coo at their daughter and turns to look at them. He catches a glimpse of their child over Carol's shoulders and grins. Their daughter certainly takes after her mother, with dark auburn hair, big eyes that open and close amidst her tears, her mother's nose, and long fingers. He can see himself in her only in the color of her skin and the color of her eyes. "Hi Sophia."
"My sweet princess." He coos over his wife's shoulder.
"She's perfect, Zeke," Carol tells him as she looks over her shoulder, making eye contact with him. "Sophia is perfect."
Carol is right; despite being covered in vernix and random patches of blood, Sophia is perfect and judging by the sound of her tears, she's healthy as well.
"She resembles her mother." He notes before pressing a kiss to his wife's right temple. "Let's get you on the cot."
"It's wet," Carol warns him. "I broke waters before I could get up from it."
"I shall cover it with blankets so that you can rest."
He guides his wife and daughter, who is still connected to her mother via the umbilical cord, towards the cot then helps Carol lower herself on the side that isn't wet. He makes quick work of reaching for the pile of blankets they keep nearby to guard against the cold and laying them down on the cot until he is absolutely sure they will not transfer the wetness to Carol. Once everything is done and he's put some pillows for her to lean against, he guides her to sit on the cot with her back against the wall.
He sits down beside her, watching as she starts unbuttoning the ends of his shirt then guides the baby to rest against her chest. He wraps the ends of his shirt around their child and chuckles at how tiny she seems now that she is finally in her mother's arms.
"I can't believe that just happened," Carol whispers in amazement, her eyes only looking at him for a second before returning to the much quieter baby who wiggles in her arms.
He moves carefully in the cot to sit beside her, his chin finding purchase on her shoulder. He can see their tiny baby's face over the end of the shirt neckline. "I believe I am dreaming." He admits.
"You aren't." She promises him before giving his cheek a tiny kiss.
Sophia grunts in her arms as she rubs her tiny face against her mother's freckled chest. She's rooting for a breast, as all babies do, eager to take in their first meal. "She really is here."
He can hear the loud sounds of an ambulance approaching. Despite knowing that his wife and daughter must be checked and transported to the hospital, he can't help but wish they were still far away so that he could enjoy more of this moment with them.
Carol chuckles beside him prompting him to turn his eyes up to look at her. "What?"
"I begged her to come for weeks," she starts explaining what she finds amusing, her eyes shining with love, happiness, and tears. "Weeks and nothing! Yet you ask her once, just once, and here she is."
He chuckles even as he hears the heavy footsteps of the paramedics coming down the hall. "She listens to her father, that is a good thing, my love."
"It is," Carol agrees with him before looking down at little Sophia. "Except her father is already wrapped around her finger and I can see the world of trouble you two will get into."
He doesn't get a chance to answer before the paramedics are coming into the room. He moves out of the way so that they have easy access to Carol and the baby she holds close to her chest, their daughter. They both answer questions about how it all happened before being told that as far as they can see both Carol and Sophia are healthy. The paramedics guide him in cutting the umbilical cord before wrapping little Sophia into a warm blanket and handing her over into Carol's arms. Eventually, Carol is transferred on to the gurney as he scrambles around the room, picking up what they will need later.
It is only once they are walking towards the ambulance that he remembers he didn't even check with Jerry if he would be alright looking after Shiva while they went to the hospital. He turns, hoping that Jerry will be nearby so that he doesn't have to leave Carol and Sophia's side. As if sensing that Ezekiel is looking for him, Jerry waves to catch his attention.
"Go!" Jerry urges him. "We've got it covered, boss!"
"Are you sure?" He wants to make sure that everything will be alright with the only tiger cub they have left even if he is not there to guard her. He's not sure when he will be back or for how long he'll be gone but he knows that Jerry is quite capable of holding the fort.
"Yes boss, we got it. Go with your girls." Jerry insists. "It's baby time."
Jerry is right.
They've lost a tiger cub tonight which pains him deeply but the knowledge that he is a father to a beautiful girl allows hope to blossom in his chest. He's yet to even tell Carol of Dwen's passing, something he isn't sure he wants to do because he knows how it will affect his wife. She's always been maternal, with her heart on her sleeve, and she had fallen in love with both tiny cubs from the moment she had seen them a couple of weeks ago. She will take it hard, as hard if not harder than he is.
But tonight is not the time to tell her and he's keenly aware of it as he climbs into the back of the ambulance, his hand quickly finding Carol's.
Tonight is his daughter's birthday and he wants nothing else to take away attention from that fact. When the time comes he will tell Carol all about Dwen, will cry with her and honor the tiny cub's life. For now, he has a wife and a daughter to tend to, to worry about and to shower with love.