"Move the cars to the upper yard." Rick instructed as he tossed Glenn the gate keys and pizza boy began to jog ahead of us. "Point 'em facing out. They'll be out of the way but ready to go if we ever need to bail."

"We'll give the prisoners a week's worth of supplies for the road." Rick glanced at me and T-Dog.

He's trying to appease us for overruling us but T-Dog passively shot back, "Might not last a week."

"It's their choice."

Is it though?

"Did they really have one?" Oof nice T.

"Hey." Rick stopped us both.

"Whose blood would you rather have on your hands, Maggie's, Glenn's, or theirs?"

Right now? Yours.

"Neither." T-Dog answered. He's much more morally upright than me. Someone's gotta be.

"Eve, Daryl, Glenn come with me outside to collect firewood. Maggie, Carol, and T, your on the cars."

Nope. Don't talk to me. I'm salty.

You lost the privilege to tell me what to do when you ignored my contribution to the conversation. Now suffer my silence, ya troll grubbing barnacle brain.

I walked away, giving Rick the cold shoulder. If he's not gonna listen to me, I'm sure as dragon turds not gonna listen to him.

I didn't get 20 feet before I heard Glenn let out a low "Oooohohoho… she is not happy. Daryl, you wanna…?"

"Hell nah. I ain't riskin' my skin cause Rick pissed her off. You want 'er to come with, go apologize and get 'er yourself."

I couldn't help a little smirk as I yanked my truck door open and climbed in.

I started the truck up and drove it up to the top gate, where Maggie finished unlocking it and dragged the fence open.

Carol and T-Dog came up behind me in the other 2 cars, and Daryl drove his bike up next to me leaving just one for Maggie to run down and bring up while I proved my backwards driving skills and positioned the truck while Rick and Glenn ran inside and came back out a few minutes later with a small crate of promised provisions for the prisoners.

Daryl parked his bike right next to my truck and the 3 of them went back down to the entry gate, and headed through it to the gravel path we came in, all the way back to the hole in the fence we made.

I sighed, staring at the steering wheel. The cool leather under my hands.

Maybe I was too quick to get mad before.

I just…

Another sigh slipped out of my mouth as I leaned forward, my forehead hitting the top of the steering wheel.

This whole situation is so similar to what happened with Randall and we lost so much for that mistake.

I gripped the wheel until my hands started to ache.

I don't want it to happen again.

I grabbed the door handle and kicked my door open.

My boots hit the asphalt and I slammed the door shut. And I watched Lori, Carl, Beth, and Hershel come outside.

A smile bigger than a New Year's party at times square split my face.

Those crutches make a fine accessory Hershel.

Now you can walk in style~

I quietly chuckled to myself, looking down at my shoes for half a second before my head was snapping back up in alarm.

"Walkers! Look out!" Carl shouted, pulling his gun as he flipped around.

Maggie and I both burst into a run towards them, pulling our guns as the group scattered like marbles on a tile floor.

Gunshots filled the air as every one of us with a firearm started emptying our clips into the walkers as they poured out of gate 2.

"That gate is open." T-Dog ran up next to me, Carol right behind him and both of them ran forward, headed straight for the gate.

I covered them and myself until they were far enough ahead of me that I reached Lori and I diverted my bullets to a group shambling towards Hershel as he tried to get up a set of stairs to where Beth is.

Sadly I couldn't get all of them as the walkers in front of me and Lori and Carl piled up.

"Lori! Here!" Maggie shouted from the outer door to the cell block and I pushed Carl, covering him & Lori as we fled towards our part of the prison.

My eyes flew around and I saw T-Dog and Carol, make it to that back gate, and found Beth and Hershel safe in another outer door cage area just before I slammed the door-protecting outer gate shut on a walker.

I ran inside, following the other 3 and as soon as I got down the steps, walkers came out of the inner cell block and Maggie whirled on her heel, immediately redirecting Lori and Carl to the other side — to the door/gate that leads deeper into the prison.

I ran for it, slicing a walker in my way and made it in right before Maggie closed it on the walkers.

"Go go—" Maggie half-shouted to get the other two moving down the hall and I swiftly followed after them.

I immediately took point, and I kept my blades high as the sky, ready to sink into whatever I need them to, at less than a moment's notice. Carl was behind me, Maggie behind him, and Lori at the back.

Suddenly alarms started blaring outside, like a fucking prison break is happening and I moved faster, we have to find somewhere safe and find out what's going on.

But as soon as we rounded a corner Lori suddenly softly grunted in pain and leaned her forearms against the wall.

"Can you keep up?" Maggie jumped to help her, while Carl and I guarded them.

"Somethin's not right." Lori grunted.

"Are you bit?" Carl asked, alarmed.

"No no no." Lori replied quick, turning around to lean against the wall, holding underneath her stomach. "I think the baby's coming."

What now!? Are you serious!?

"Mom?" Not a second after Carl called for her, I whipped around at sudden growling and flew to Lori's side, getting her arm over my shoulders and mine around her back, Maggie doing the same on her other side to help the very pregnant — and apparently in labor mother — move fast.

Carl raised his gun but Maggie said, "No. There's no time. Turn back."

He covered the front while I kept looking over our shoulder to make sure that if the walkers catch up or get too close, I can let Lori go and take care of it.

"In here!" Carl pulled a door along the wall open and we all but carried Lori inside and he tried to shut it behind us but it wouldn't close all the way.

While Maggie and I let Lori go and she held onto a fence, gasping like she's just resurfaced from almost drowning.

All 3 of us watched her, not knowing what to do — at least me and Carl definitely don't.

Lori grunted, breathing hard and just from her face I can tell she's in a lot of pain as she held onto a chain to keep herself standing. "What are those alarms?"

"Don't worry about it." Maggie soothed as Lori let go and we moved deeper into what looks like a boiler room to me.

I moved deeper and deeper, only hearing half of what they're saying as I checked the inside for walkers, while Carl's watching the way we came down.

We're deep enough inside this room thought that I'd be surprised if the walkers up in the hallway could hear us over that prison alarm.

"It's clear." I came back just as Maggie said, "No we can't risk getting caught out there, you're gonna need to give birth to this baby here."

What.

WHAT!?

"Great." Lori sighed, like she'd simply dropped a spoon on the floor and couldn't give a fuck.

She started hyperventilating and me and Carl had the same reaction but his was more vocal.

"What's she doing? Can she breathe!?"

"She's fine. Come here— let's get your pants off." Maggie pulled her backwards a little while Lori leaned on the table and started undoing Lori's pants for her.

I am freaking out.

I am not prepared for this. I am so not prepared for this.

I don't know what to do!

Lori laid down on the floor and I moved around the other side out of pure discomfort.

Maggie looked up at us as she pulled Lori's pants and underwear off.

"You're gonna need to help deliver your younger brother or sister. You up for it?"

"Yeah" Carl breathed, and gave a slight nod.

'No' I wanted to shake my head.

"I'll do an exam. Let me see if you're dilated." Maggie talked to Lori.

I smoothed my hair back over my head, resting one hand on my hip trying to breathe. Trying to calm down.

Breathe. Just breathe. Calm down, Eve. You're making it worse.

It's not like I'm the one giving birth.

"Do you know how?" Carl asked Maggie.

"Dad taught me but trust me it's my first time." she answered, looking between Lori's legs.

I stepped back a little, looking back the way we came to make sure we don't get surprised right now.

"I can't tell." Maggie said.

"I gotta push. I gotta push." Lori sat up, seeming to know.

My eyes kept flickering between her and the door as she stood up and grabbed onto some of the metal down here.

My head is spinning. The only thing I heard was Maggie say "Your body knows what to do. Let it do all the work."

Lori yelped and Maggie kept repeating encouraging things to her. And for a second I managed to calm down a little, thinking Lori's in good hands and I just have to keep guard.

But then my blood ran cold and I felt all the blood in my body drain as Maggie said, "Lori stop something's wrong." and I looked over just in time to see Maggie's hand covered in blood and Lori screamed in agony.

"Help me lay her down!" Maggie snapped at me and I sheathed my knives and jumped on it.

I caught Lori just as her legs started to give and basically sacrificed my elbows to the concrete to control her decent and help her get to the floor safely.

"Mom…?" Carl asked as all three of us were crowded around the tall brunette on the ground now. "Mom, look at me, look at me. Keep your eyes open."

Jesus, Carl is handling this way better than I am.

"We have to get you back to dad." Maggie said, taking Lori's hand with both of hers.

"I'm strong enough to carry her." I hopped on board. It won't be easy but I can do it if Maggie and Carl cover us. The cell block isn't that far.

"I'm not gonna make it." Lori breathed, like someone who's realized this is their end.

"Lori, with all this blood, I don't even think you're fully dilated yet. No amount of pushing is gonna help." Maggie's getting frantic which doesn't help me stay calm at all, but the last thing we need now is me freaking out on top of all of this.

My hand is shaking hardcore and I've started to rock a little bit but I'm trying desperately to keep my cool and not have a panic attack.

Lori's hand found my shirt at my side, like she could tell that I'm on the verge of a hysterical meltdown and she's trying to comfort me, when it should be the other way around.

"I know what it means, and I'm not losing my baby." She rolled her head on the ground, exhausted. Her voice dropping all the way into the back of her throat and becoming much deeper than usual, but it still sounds like her.

"You've gotta cut me open." She looked down at Maggie between her legs.

"No." Maggie shook her head. "I can't."

"You don't have a choice." Lori interrupted her, way too calm about this.

"I'll go for help, I can make i—" Carl stood up but Lori immediately cut him off, "No!"

"Look, Carol's the one that practised that, dad only taught me the steps, Lori. If I—"

"Please." Lori cut Maggie off again.

"I have no anesthetic, no equipment —"

"Eve has her knives."

I shook my head. "Lori my knives are too big for that. And they're covered in walkers blood."

"Carl has a knife." Lori nodded her head.

No. God no. Please.

There has to be something else!

"Lori you won't survive." Maggie came right out and said it.

"My baby has to survive. Please. My baby… for all of us. Please, Maggie! Please!" Lori persisted, panting now, sweat clinging to her skin.

She kept repeating please at Maggie until she finally somewhat gave in.

"Lift my shirt." Lori ordered and Maggie did. "You see my old c-section scar?"

Maggie shook her head, her face terrified. "I can't."

"You can."

Carl slowly came back over from the stairs.

"You have to." Lori panted.

Lori looked at me and reached to squeeze my now violently shaking hand.

"We haven't always seen eye to eye, but please. Look after Carl for me, and my baby. Promise me you'll keep watching Rick's back like you always do."

Even though I managed to keep my face steady, two tears dropped down my face, narrowly missing my cheeks and sinking into Lori's lavender flannel as the reality of this started setting in.

My voice wavered as I grit my teeth and nodded. "I will." I breathed in sharply through my nose and swallowed, making my voice stronger and firmer. "You know I will."

"Carl?" Lori rasped, almost panting and her son slid closer to her in a heartbeat. "Baby, I don't want you to be scared, okay? This is what I want. This is right."

"Now you— you take care of your daddy for me, alright?" Her voice got some firmness back. "And your little brother or sister, you take care of them—"

Carl shook his head, "You don't have to do this."

"Ohhh, you're gonna be fine." Lori smiled at him, with so much surety and love. "You are gonna beat this world. I know you will. You are smart and you are strong, and you are so brave, and I love you."

"I love you too." Carl cried.

"You gotta do what's right, baby. Promise me, you'll always do what's right."

"It's so easy to do the wrong thing in this world." Lori's eyes drifted down and to the side, regret and pain intertwined through her face and her strained voice, like vines slowly choking.

She took a breath, licking her lips and cut herself off from whatever road she was travelling down.

"So don't—" she sighed, closing her eyes briefly and rolled her head back to look up at the ceiling. Squeezing Carl's hand. "So if it feels wrong, don't do it, all right? If it feels easy don't do it. Don't let the world spoil you." Her voice strained until it almost broke as she looked back at her son.

"You're so good." she reached up and wiped his tears. Quieting Carl's soft sniffles, and the two of them smiled through tears at each other.

"You're my sweet boy. The best thing I ever did. And I love you." Carl threw his arms on either side of her head, trying to hug his mom and I swiped own tears as she hugged her child for the last time, smiling through tears the whole embrace while he cried into her long dark hair in piles around her head, sobbing I love you to him.

She kissed the side of his head and took a deep breath in. "Ok. Ok now."

Carl sat up and Lori grunted regaining a remarkable amount of composure for someone who's doing what she is. A mother's love for her children is a powerful thing.

I'm sorry, Lori. For every bad thing I ever thought or felt about you, no matter the reason.

You're a strong person, and I'm sorry I didn't give you credit for it sooner.

"Girls when this is over, you're gonna have to—"

"Shhh" Maggie cried, shaking her head.

"You have to do it. It can't be Rick." Lori shook her head, silencing Maggie.

Maggie took a breath, trying to compose herself and something about Lori using her breath to calm herself down worked on all of us.

"Alright…alright." Lori settled herself, taking deep calming breaths through her pursed lips as Carl took out his knife and slowly passed it to Maggie like it carries the fate of the world.

I gently set my hand on Maggie's shoulder. "You have to cut through seven layers of tissue. Don't do them all at once, we don't have enough light to see. Cut the top ones first then pull the uterus out of the body before you try to cut it."

She nodded, not even questioning why I know that. It's a combination of an anatomy book I grabbed for Hershel on a run awhile ago and listening to him explain the procedure to Lori when she first told him about the C-section she had to have to deliver Carl.

I'm glad I was in the room when she did.

"Whew..." Lori breathed out one last time. Looking almost completely calm as she stared at the ceiling. "Good night, love."

"I'm sorry." Maggie muttered solemnly before Lori screamed in more agony than I've ever heard, even from people who were ripped apart in front of me, squeezing my hand so tight that if she'd been holding it wrong she probably would've broken my wrist.

"No!" Carl shouted, "You're killing her!"

And just like that, her eyes closed, tears pooled in the corners of her eyes as her head lulled to the side. Not another sound aside from Maggie's hands digging into her stomach.

"Give me your hands." Maggie ordered and I let go of Lori's hand, letting it fall limply onto my knees and grabbed the top of the skin, holding it out of the way.

"Carl, please." Maggie asked and I looked up at him, as he reached over, tears pouring down his face.

"Just keep this side clear ok? If I cut too deep I'm gonna cut the baby."

Numb, he did as told, grabbing the flesh of his mother's stomach and holding it out of the way just as Maggie told him to.

"I see it, I see the uterus."

I kept my eyes on him, glancing down only to stretch the slash open wider and help Maggie get the uterus out enough that she can cut the thick layer of muscle open.

Her focus is admirable. She would've made a great surgeon. Seems like medical proficiency runs in the family.

"I'm gonna pull 'em out."

"I can't tell if this is the arm or the leg. Ok, I'm gonna pull the baby out." Fluid splattered onto the ground between Maggie's knees and both Carl and I focused on her and our jobs here.

I saw a tear fall from Carl's eye out of the corner of my own as Maggie pulled the baby out and it wasn't crying.

Maggie tapped and rubbed the baby's chest and carefully turned it over, and out of instinct I helped her, making sure the baby's head is supported and she doesn't slip out of Maggie's hands. She did the same tap/rub on her back and my heart lurched as a soft cry came from the tiny thing.

Carl immediately took his jacket off and passed it. I took the jacket and positioned it in my hands for the baby as Maggie turned her back over and set her into the fabric net before wiping the blood and placenta and every other slick goo off her hands and arms and tucked the knife away and I passed the baby back since she actually knows how to hold a baby.

"We have to go." Maggie stood up immediately, holding the infant against her chest.

"We can't just leave her here." Carl stopped her, desperately. Standing up. "She'll turn."

Maggie tried to grab the knife she'd tucked away.

"No." Carl shook his head.

"Carl." Maggie said, her voice deeper than normal and sad but firm. We all know it has to be done.

Carl took his gun out. "She's my mom."

I put my hand on his shoulder and he didn't budge.

If he needs to do this himself, I… I won't stop him, no matter how much I want to. But if there's even the slightest chance that he doesn't need to do it, I don't want him to.

Maggie gave in and went up the steps and I was torn for a long time but in the end, I followed her; staying at the bottom of the steps so the second it's done, I'll be here for him.

Maggie and I both jumped as the shot went off and a second later Carl walked straight past both of us, his face completely blank and devoid of emotion.

I'm so sorry Carl.

I moved past Maggie and put my hand on Carl's shoulder to stop him from getting to the door. They've both done more than enough already.

The dirty metal chilled the tips of my fingers as I carefully put just enough pressure on the heavy door to peer out, and froze seeing several of them in the hallway. There's no way we'll get through that. The shot must've drawn them here.

I took a long glance at Maggie and the baby and Carl behind me, and my stomach started to sink. Like a leaf slowly capsizing into a still pond after floating on the surface for too long.

I looked back at the hall and set my jaw.

"Carl..." I whispered, just barely loud enough for him to hear me.

"How many bullets do you have left."

He sniffled softly and checked his clip as quietly as he's been taught. "3. What about you?"

"Empty." Maggie answered without having to check.

My eyes squeezed shut. I made a promise, and I intend to keep it.

I took my gun from my waistband and passed it to Maggie.

The alarm went off awhile ago. That means Daryl, Rick and the others must've gotten to it. That means the yard is probably clear by now.

"Get outside. Back to the others." I put my knives back into their sheaths.

"What are you gonna do?" Maggie asked, watching me with scared wary eyes and holding the baby close.

"Keep my promise." I turned around and put my hands on Carl's shoulders. I leaned down to his height, looking him in the eyes.

"You're leaving...aren't you." Carl's breathing picked up even though he's trying so hard to be strong.

"Listen to me. As long as I breathe, you're not alone and you never will be. It's gonna be hard, it's ok to cry and to feel like you can't do it. It's ok to do whatever you need to to keep going, as long as you keep going." I put my hand on his cheek as his eyes started to tear up.

"It's not fair to ask this of you right now, if there was any other choice I wouldn't," I wiped his wet cheeks with my thumbs. "but I need you to keep Maggie and your sister safe. Hold on just a little bit longer, just until I get back. Do you think you can do that?"

He nodded, his chin trembling fiercely.

I pulled him into a hug, wrapping my arms around him tight and letting him bury his eyes in my neck and soak my shirt with silent tears.

For his sake I forced calm paced breaths through my lungs and gently rubbed his back.

"Shhh." I turned my lips towards his ear. "No matter what, I will always come back."

I released him and rose up. I squeezed Maggie's shoulder. Her eyes and nose red and puffy, her face flushed and trying not to cry.

"Hold it together just a little longer, Mags. You can do this. It's ok to be scared, take a breath. Don't think about anything else. Focus on what I'm about to say." I took her shoulders just like I did Carl's, looking in her eyes to be sure that I've got her attention and spoke very clearly and calmly.

"Get outside. Get to your dad. Make sure the baby's alright. Keep your steps light. Don't rush. Stay quiet. Peek around corners before you move into a hall. Give Carl the baby if there's only one or two of them and take them with his knife. Go back the way we came. If there's too many in your path, throw something to distract them and move quick and quiet. Get outside, leave the rest to me."

She nodded and I smiled at both of them, conjuring up as much confidence and reassurance as humanly possible. "I'll see you soon."

I turned around and pulled my knives. I took a deep breath through my nose, starting the negative visualizations to prepare myself for what I'm about to do.

My jaw set and I licked my lips. "Wait until it's clear, don't run."

I heard their clothes shift as both of them nodded.

That's my family.

Carl's POV

Without another breath, Eve pushed the door open just enough to slip out and she was gone. I moved up to the door, peeking out of the slit left open and watched her creep along the wall, ducked down and look around the corner of the next hall before moving down it. The opposite direction to the way out.

The grip on my gun tightened as my hand started to shake, the second she was out of sight.

I gasped and jumped as a whistle rang through the echoey halls, blaring like a school bell right above your head and every walker in the hall growled like some kind of weird hunt just started and like a flood they rushed the hallway, whacking into each other's shoulders and pouring down the corridor. I only heard two loud smacks of Eve's feet against the group before all traces of her presence vanished.

I covered my mouth with my hand, blinking hard as two wet drops slid over my fingers and the back of my hand.

The hallway cleared and we waited a few more minutes before I looked up at Maggie and she nodded.

I pushed the door open quietly and checked the hall with my gun up, and we did just like Eve said. Her words playing on loop in my head, every time I needed to know what to do.

Don't run. Peek around corners.

Focus. Keep your steps light.

If there's too many in your path, throw something to distract them and move quick and quiet

Get outside. Leave the rest to me.

I'll see you soon.

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