Just a small chapter to tide you all over. Hope you enjoy.
"What?" whispered Blake, her pink lips hanging open in shock.
This couldn't be real, it just couldn't be.
"You're pregnant, Blake," repeated Dr Carson, his voice sounding stark in the quiet of the medical room.
Blake shook her head.
No.
They had been so careful for months with just one single slip up.
"A-Are you sure?" she managed to mumble out.
Maybe this was all a dream. Maybe she was still unconscious, and this was her mind cruelly playing tricks on her.
If it was true, why hadn't she felt that same nausea, those same cravings as before? Although admittedly every pregnancy she had had, had felt different. Each with their own ups and downs.
The blonde woman could only watch now as Carson swivelled back around in his chair, picking up a second thin strip of indicator paper from the desk.
"I did the test twice," he said in a quiet voice, his warm, sorry eyes roving over Blake's features. "You're definitely pregnant, Blake."
Blake felt her eyes welling with tears as she shook her head desperately.
"B-But I can't be…" she said, feeling her hands begin to shake.
Carson tilted his head, staring at her. "I know after all you've been through over the last six months, this may not seem the right time-"
"I've lost three babies, Harlan," said Blake sharply, as angry tears sloshed from her eyes before she could stop them. "Three. What makes you think this time it's gonna be any different?"
Carson fell silent at her words.
None of this was fair.
It was as though life was cruelly mocking her. Taunting her. Allowing her to get so close to that which she had always coveted- a family, a child of her own - before snatching those dreams away at the last moment before they could become a reality.
"I'm really sorry, Blake," said the doctor looking sympathetic. "But there's not a lot we can do now."
Blake gave a heavy shuddering sigh, bowing her head and closing her eyes for a brief second.
"I know," she whispered, her mind suddenly travelling to Negan.
It wasn't just herself she needed to worry about now. How would Negan take this news? He had been as devastated as her at the loss of their baby. So would losing another push them apart for good?
Blake couldn't say what state her mental health would be in after another loss like the last one. Would she forget herself again? Run away? Be unable to cope with the loss?
But the blonde woman opened her eyes at this thought.
No.
That was not going to happen again. This wasn't the way her life was going to go.
For too long she had been controlled by fear.
If she was never meant to carry a baby to term, then fine, but this was not going to destroy her. Not again.
She pictured the two most important people in the world to her now.
Negan and Mia.
She was going to get through all this for them. This loss wouldnt break her like the others.
And so, wiping at her wet cheeks, Blake slid herself from the gurney.
"I need to go find Negan," she said with a small sigh.
Carson looked up at her. "Maybe you should rest for a bit-" he attempted, but Blake cut over him with a determined shake of her head.
"I honestly feel fine," she admitted, taking a long sniff of air. "But I've got to see Negan. I've got to tell him."
And she did. This was no longer just her affected by all this, but Negan too.
This was his life she was impacting. And this was not something Blake was going to run from. Not anymore.
Blake paced across the room, pausing for a moment at the door, looking back to Carson.
"Thanks," she said quietly.
Carson shook his head giving her a brief and sympathetic smile.
But Blake had already pushed herself through the door, heading out into the drafty corridor.
She made to head back toward the rec room hoping Negan would still be there, but a sudden whistle from behind her drew her attention suddenly, causing Blake to swing around on the spot, coming face to face with the dark-haired Saviour himself.
Negan was stood there now, leaning against the wall just a few feet down from the medical room, arms folded, looking more than a little impatient.
His dark and worried eyes searched her face, as he pushed himself from the wall and walked towards her.
"Everythin' alright, Darlin'?" he asked in a voice full of concern.
It was no surprise to her that Negan had followed her down here, looking like he had been impatiently awaiting any news from the medical room, be it good or bad.
Blake worried at her lip for a brief moment before speaking.
"C-Can we go somewhere to talk?"
Negan hovered for a moment or two, with Blake half expecting him to say no and demand she tell him what was wrong, right here, right now.
But surprisingly, Negan nodded, placing a hand to the small of her back and walking in silence with her down the hallway.
Blake wasn't quite sure where she was going and it wasn't until she reached the large staircase that led to the upper floors did she make the decision to go back to their room.
A safe place.
Somewhere where they wouldn't be distrubed.
Walking up the looming metal staircase Blake chanced a glance at the Saviour beside her, whose jaw was currently clenched, his anxious eyes fixed on the space before him as he walked.
He knew it was bad news.
Blake knew he could read her too well, knowing that if it was good news, she would have just brushed it off the moment she had left Carson's.
And so reaching down, Blake took his hand in hers, drawing his attention to her immediately. She offered him a small yet sad smile, entwining her fingers with his.
They would be ok, she was sure of it.