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.

In no way is the author claiming ownage of any of the characters nor is there any economical/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.

Genevieve is property of the author.

Chapter 8: 7th Month

They haven't heard from them.

She's trying not to panic, to remain centered and calm for the sake of her child, but the fact that they have heard nothing of Ezekiel and his army is driving her up the wall.

"You need to calm down." Maggie has been keeping her company, trying to get her mind off the fact that her husband has seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth. "It's not good for your baby, Carol."

Carol smooths her hands down her belly. She knows this. She knows worrying is raising her blood pressure through the roof and with her recent symptoms it is a dangerous thing.

The reason they had been at Hilltop was to visit the doctor. She'd had an easy pregnancy up until two weeks ago, having had no symptoms that were really out of the ordinary. She'd been battling a slight headache at the beginning of the first week and the next thing she knew she was waking from a nap with a horrible pounding headache. When she's tried to get up the world had seemed to shift around her. She'd barely been able to support herself against the banister and call out for help. Jerry had rushed in, ever ready to be her and her daughter's protector. She's never been more grateful to have him nearby. Ezekiel had wanted to rush her to Hilltop but she'd insisted she was fine.

Eventually the headache had dulled enough that she could live with it and she had powered through. She'd occasionally have a bout of dizziness, and twice she'd vomited, but she had soldiered on, brushing away Ezekiel's concerns by telling him that pregnant women had headaches and dizziness and she had vomited enough at the beginning of her pregnancy to not really be bothered by two inconveniences.

Every day she woke up dizzy and slightly disoriented and every night she went to bed with a raging headache.

Every day she told herself not to worry.

Every night she was ready to walk to Hilltop if she had to.

It wasn't until she'd had a slight disagreement with Henry that things really went south. Once again the young boy was trying to prove he was ready to go on scouting missions and once more Carol was urging him not to, to keep training and focus on getting better. One thing had led to another and Henry had walked away in a tiffy. Carol had held long enough until she heard his door slam, then she had doubled over in pain, the flashes of light on her eyes making her dizzy, bluring her vision. Once more Jerry had been there for her, bellowing for Ezekiel. Zeke has held her all the way to Hilltop, murmuring in her ear that everything was going to be alright, his hand on her belly as if he could personally protect their unborn child.

Preeclampsia.

That's what the doctor had warned her about. Her blood pressure was through the roof and her dizziness, vomiting, vision problems and abdominal pain were a direct result of it. When Ezekiel had asked him to gather a list of what they needed to treat it, the doctor had shook his head and told him the only way to get rid of it was giving birth which wasn't an option. Their baby wasn't ready to be born, they needed to keep her calm, lower her blood pressure and he wanted to start seeing her once every two weeks, one week if possible.

This was not helping her at all.

"I don't understand why he had to be the one to go." Carol admits. "Why he had to volunteer."

"I think he was trying to work through his anxiety." Maggie replies. "He was really worried for you. I don't think I've ever seen him that worked up."

Carol swallows the knot in her throat. She knows he had been scared, she had seen it in his eyes, had felt it in his touch, in the way he spoke to both her and their daughter.

The very same daughter who was now kicking up a storm within her.

"Tell me again." Carol practically begs her.

"They were last heard of three hours ago. They were going to checkpoint four and were supposed to check in at 6pm but the check in never occurred."

"And where is checkpoint four?"

"Near the swamp."

Taking in a deep breath, Carol willed herself to calm down, her headache slowly rising in intensity. She leaned against the back of the chair and let her breath out.

"Carol I think you should go to the infirmary." Maggie insisted. "This cannot be good for you or the baby."

She closes her eyes tightly, one hand moving from the backrest to the side of her belly where she feels her daughter thumping away, protesting the lack of her father's presence.

"Please Princess." She whispers, using Ezekiel's pet name for their little one.

The door bursts open making both women jump. Maggie reaches for her gun out of instinct, Carol reaches for her knife. She ready to strike and protect, her knife raised and her body tense.

Then all the fight leaves her.

Ezekiel is standing at the door, dirty from head to toe. Whatever he has faced, whatever had tried to kept him away from her, hadn't won, he had seen to it.

"Zeke…". She doesn't even try to keep up the appearances of the Kingdom titles. He's alive. That's all she cares for.

He rushes to her, embraces her, kisses her and she holds on tightly to him, saying his name over and over.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He whispers once Maggie has stepped out to give them some time.

"Don't ever do that again." She demands. "Don't ever go out on a whim. I know you have to keep appearances, I know you were afraid and felt powerless and had to do something, I understand, but you have a daughter now. I don't want to have to explain to her why her father wasn't there when she was born."

He leans his head against her chest, breathing in as hard as she is. "I'm sorry." He repeats, his hands moving to frame her belly, where their daughter finally calms, finally settles. "I'm sorry."

He's home, with them, and for now her daughter is content, that's all that truly matters.