AN: This was actually the chapter that I was looking most forward to writing. I think it really brings out a new side of Reagan's character.
This next week I have a friend coming to visit for a week so I probably won't update until she goes back home!
Review and enjoy please :)
Reagan jumped out of the silver Dodge and slammed the door shut after pulling it into the prison yard. She kept out of the way as Hershel's red and grey Chevy made its way through the set of gates around the sideways bus. As soon as the way was clear, Reagan made her way towards Rick and Daryl, who stood by the bus and watched as Carol jumped out of the Chevy and walked towards them.
It had been two days since their run in with the prisoners.
Daryl had explained briefly what had happened to them all to Reagan on their post that night. After Tomas, the Latino prisoner she had beef with, had blatantly tried to kill Rick by tossing a Walker on him, Rick had ended his life with a swift machete to the head. Andrew, the smaller black prisoner, had taken off through the prison and Rick pursued after him like a predator, locking him outside in a yard on the other side of the prison full of Walkers. Big Tiny had his head smashed in by Tomas after he was scratched heavily by a Walker, and the other remaining prisoners, Axel and Oscar, were given a second chance and told to stay in their designated cell block or risk being shot down. So far, they hadn't seen any sign of them since.
"Okay, let's get the other car in..." Rick said and Reagan looked over to the Hyundai still parked in the corridor of fencing, "We'll park them in the western yard."
"Good. With 'em parked out there it looked like a giant vacancy sign..." Daryl said as he tossed a chain down next to the back end of the overturned bus.
"After that... we need to load up these corpses and burn 'em." Rick pointed about at a few Walkers as he stepped a few feet up the long, dirt driveway.
"It's gonna be a long day..." T-Dog said as he stopped and Reagan let out a deep sigh,
"Yeah... you can say that again." Her gold eyes glazed over the numerous corpses littering the court yard around them. She then hooked her hands on her hips, a soft breeze lifting up the lip of her shirt and brushing against her lower belly, "Where's Glenn and Maggie? We could use the help."
"Up in the guard tower..." Daryl pointed up at the tower as he stopped next to Reagan. All eyes were now on the standing concrete pillar.
"The guard tower? They were just up there last night!" Rick looked back at Daryl briefly and Carol crossed her arms,
"Wonder what they could be doin'."
"I got some idea." Reagan slyly smiled to herself and both she and Daryl exchanged eye contact.
"Glenn!" Daryl shouted, his hand cupped over his mouth as it caused his voice to bounce off the guard tower loudly, "Maggie!"
Reagan continued to smile to herself as her hand brushed across her nose, a few moments passing before the door to the top of the tower opened. Glenn stepped out, shirtless by what Reagan could see, and called back to them while fumbling with his pants, "Hey! What's up guys!?"
The group on the ground all laughed amongst each other, Daryl placing his hands on his hips, "You comin'!?"
"What!?" Glenn shouted back and Reagan chuckled under her breath, shaking her head and placing her face in her hand. They all continued to laugh at Glenn's senselessness and obliviousness to what they were all chuckling at.
"You comin'!?" Daryl shouted again and Reagan laughed, bumping Daryl with her elbow and nodding back at the vehicles. Hearing no answer from a confused Glenn, Daryl tossed up his hand, "Come on! We could use a hand!"
"Yeah! W-we'll be right down!" Glenn called back as the rest of them turned around the ready for their busy day ahead.
"I remember when I was young like that..." Reagan mused with a laugh and Daryl looked down at her,
"I don't even wanna think about that."
"Then don't." Reagan smiled back and grabbed onto the door handle of the Dodge Ram, opening it to get inside.
"Hey Rick..." T-Dog called back to him and Reagan looked over her shoulder at T-Dog, seeing him staring up at the gates next to the guard tower.
Her eyes soon fell upon the only remaining prison members standing at the top of the dirt driveway.
Rick's face turned deadly and his legs marched across the gravel driveway, his eyes darting to Reagan and nodding at her to follow, "Come with me..." Rick said to Daryl and T-Dog, the four of them making their way quickly towards the two prisoners.
Reagan kept her eyes dead set on the two, who stood humbly as if nothing were wrong with the situation. By what Daryl told Reagan, the two were not to step one foot near their secured cellblock or there would be hell to pay. Reagan's eyes moved to Rick, seeing his back tense and high on alert as he stalked towards the men.
"That's close enough!" Rick barked at Axel and Oscar, their feet stopping on the concrete of the prison yard once hearing Rick's deadly tone. Axel seemed a bit timid, trying to avoid Rick's gaze and Oscar stood confident in the presence of the five now in front of him, "We had an agreement."
"Please, mister!" Axel replied meekly to Rick, "We know that, we made a deal! But you gotta understand, we can't stay in that place another minute, you follow me!? All the bodies... people we knew! Blood... brains everywhere. There's ghosts!"
"Why didn't you just move the bodies out?" Reagan shrugged her shoulder at them, eyeing Glenn and Maggie who had exited the guard tower and now stood behind Axel and Oscar.
"You should be burnin' 'em." T-Dog said and Axel shook his head, becoming a bit distraught,
"We tried! We did!"
"The fence is down outside the prison... every time we drag a body out, those things just line up!" Oscar explained with a small shake of his head, "We'd pull out a couple of bodies and run back inside."
"Look!" Axel shouted, hastily stepping towards Rick while trying to make a point, "We had nothin' to do with Tomas or Andrew, nothin'!"
"Easy there, Ponyboy." Reagan took a couple steps forward, Axel halting in his steps upon seeing her approach. He swallowed hard and ignored her hard stare, looking back at Rick and continuing warily,
"You tried to prove a point? Well, you proved it bro! We'll do whatever it takes to be part of your group but please... please don't make us live in that place..."
"Our deal is nonnegotiable..." Rick replied without deliberation and Axel's gaze dropped to the ground in defeat, "You either live in your cellblock or you leave."
"I told you this was a waste of time..." Oscar looked over at Axel and then to Rick, his eyes narrowing, "They ain't no different than the pricks who shot up our boys. You know how many friends' corpses we had to drag out this way? Just threw them out like..." Oscar paused and looked at Daryl and Reagan, shaking his head, "These were good guys! Good guys who had our backs against some really bad dudes like Tomas and Andrew. Now we've all made mistakes to get in here chief... and I'm not gonna pretend to be a saint, but believe me... we paid our due; enough that we would rather hit that road than go back into that shithole.
There was a few seconds of a staring standoff between Rick and Oscar before Rick took a couple steps back. Slowly, Rick turned halfway to Reagan and Daryl standing next to each other, the two knowing exactly what he wanted from them. Daryl shook his head at Rick, Rick knowing that he didn't trust the prisoners before him. His blue eyes then looked to Reagan, her gold eyes set in turmoil. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, her arms crossing as she looked back at the prisoners. Axel seemed harmless enough in her eyes and she could take him easily if something were to happen, but Oscar on the other hand, Oscar was big and heavy set with plenty of muscle. He would prove rather difficult.
Reagan shook her head back at Rick as well, not thinking it would be a very good idea to let them join the group. They were too unpredictable.
Rick took their decisions into his own and looked back to Oscar's dark, awaiting eyes, "Our deal stands... there's no more negotiation."
"Then I guess that means we'll be hittin' the road..." Oscar raised his chin with pride and Axel looked to him as if he were insane, clearly not wanting to leave the safety of the prison.
"Fine then... we'll guide you out of the courtyard." Rick said and pointed down towards the overturned bus, "After you."
Oscar and Axel hesitated at first, but their legs finally moved and slowly carried them down the dirt driveway of the prison yard. Reagan stood on the side of Axel, Daryl on the side of Oscar, where they escorted the two prisoners down to the bottom, making sure they didn't do anything stupid. Rick, Carol, T-Dog, Maggie, and Glenn all gathered behind the overturned bus while Reagan and Daryl secured the prisoners behind the gate. Reagan wrapped the heavy chain around the posts and Daryl snapped the padlock shut on it, his hands clutching onto the key ring as he turned to walk away. Reagan gave them one last look before turning to follow after Daryl.
"Come on, man!" Axel called to them, but the two cavaliers ignored them, Reagan hearing Rick speaking in a hushed tone,
"Are you serious?" He said and as Reagan and Daryl pulled around the corner of the bus, she saw that he was speaking to T-Dog, "You want them sleepin' in a cell right next to you? They'll just be waitin' for a chance to grab a weapon-you, do you really wanna go back to sleepin' with one eye open?"
"I never stopped." T-Dog said thoughtfully and sighed, "Bring them into the fold. If we send 'em off packin'... we might as well just execute them ourselves."
"I don't know... they both seem a little unstable." Glenn voiced and Carol followed after him,
"After all we've been through? We fought so hard for this, what if they decide to take it?"
Reagan scoffed at the word we. Carol barely did a thing to help take down the prison.
"It's just been us for so long..." Maggie said quietly and tilted her head, "They're strangers. It feels weird all of a sudden havin' new people around."
"You brought us in..." T-Dog said validly at Maggie and she shrugged her shoulders,
"You came to us with a shot boy in your arms... we had no choice." Reagan knew they were now speaking of the farm they used to be on. Long before Reagan's involvement in the group.
"They can't even kill Walkers." Glenn said and Carol looked over at him,
"They're convicts, bottom line!"
"But that might actually mean they got less blood on our hands than any of us does..." Reagan shrugged while looking over at Carol, "None of us are exactly what I would categorize as angels."
"I get guys like this... hell, I grew up with 'em." Daryl's raspy voice said and they all looked to him, "They're degenerates but they ain't psychos. I could've been in there with them just as easily as I'm in here with you guys."
"So you with me?" T-Dog asked confidently and Daryl scoffed,
"Hell no. Let 'em take their chances out on the road, just like we did."
"What I'm sayin' Daryl is-"
"When I was a rookie... I arrested this kid." Rick interrupted and they all looked to him, "Nineteen years old, wanted for stabbing his girlfriend. Kid loved her like a baby during the interrogation, the trial... suckered the jury. He was equitted due to insufficient evidence and two weeks later... shot another girl." Rick shook his head tiredly at T-Dog, "We've been through too much... our deal with them stands."
Without another word, Rick pushed past T-Dog and Daryl followed after him, along with Glenn, Maggie, and Carol. Reagan stared at T-Dog's defeated demeanor and his dark eyes looked to her, her lips drawing into a thin line, "There's just some things you can't change these days..."
.:o:.
"Alright, let's get 'em going!" Reagan called from the driver's seat of the Dodge, Carol, Maggie, and Daryl manning the rest of the vehicles behind her.
Reagan shut her door and started to engine to the tough truck, revving the engine and hearing it growl. She placed it in drive and pressed down on the accelerator, looking in through the rear view mirror to see them following after her up to the prison. Her brown eyes stared through the windshield and the truck's tires moved a bit faster, Reagan looking back into the rearview mirror unconsciously.
At the bottom of the way, Axel and Oscar watched them ascend back to the prison and leave them behind.
Reagan dismissed their presence the best she could as the Dodge finally hit the concrete of the nearest prison yard. Reagan pulled in and quickly whirling the steering wheel sharply to her right and shoving the truck into reverse. Her hand slapped down on the back of the passenger's seat as she stared over her shoulder, slowly backing the truck up along the fence line of the yard. She looked ahead of her and noticed Carol snapping the chain shut around the gate before retreating into Hershel's old Chevy to continue laying out the vehicles. Maggie waited patiently in front of Reagan to continue reversing, so continue reversing Reagan did.
With the quick turn of the key, Reagan shut off the Ram and shoved open the door, not forgetting her silenced pistol sitting cozily on the passenger's seat. She grabbed it up and slid out of the truck, shutting the door behind her. Reagan saw Maggie stepping out of the Hyundai, as well as Carol and T-Dog out of the Chevy, and slowly, they began to congregate in next to their cars. Reagan took a deep breath and crossed her arms, staring out at the farthest perimeter of the prison yard in front of her. Rick, Daryl, and Glenn stepped carefully through the tall grass outside the confines of the prisons fences, a few stray Walkers meandering about on the other side of the stagnate pond. They had set out to gather firewood so ridding of the decaying bodies now in their yards would be a lot easier.
Her head turned once she heard the squealing iron door to the cell block open, a few people stepping out of the darkness behind it. Reagan smiled upon seeing Hershel gimping his way out on his crutches, Lori, Beth, and Carl keeping him steady as he went about. 'Just like a newborn calf' She mused to herself upon watching Hershel's wobbliness in trying to get used to the surrogate legs. Hershel made his way towards the small set of concrete steps, Lori keeping her hand on his chest as he attempted to hobble down them. Once his crutches and only foot connected with base ground, Reagan shoved off from a standing position and approached the four with a smile.
"Ready to race, Hershel?" Reagan heard Carl ask and Hershel looked to Carl,
"Give me another day... I'll take you on."
"And how's the old cripple doing on this fine morning?" Reagan smirked deviously and stopped next to Lori, staring into his deep blue eyes.
"Better watch your tongue, missy, or I might have to kick you with my only leg." Hershel retorted and Reagan laughed under her breath,
"I would gladly let you try because it would be something I would want to see." She said and saw Hershel smile under his thicket of whiskers.
"Yeah Hershel!" Glenn's voice echoed off the walls of the prison and their attention was now on Rick, Glenn, and Daryl, who had returned to the safety of the prisons fences.
Reagan planted her hands on her hips again, staring out at the men beyond the yard. They stood and stared at Hershel on his feet, Reagan knowing that they were utterly surprised, yet happy that he was up and running, so to speak. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Maggie smiling at her father, nothing but rejoice lifting on her face. She was happy too, and so was everyone else. It wasn't just Reagan's help that kept him alive, it was the entire group. And without the help of the entire group, he would not be with them now.
But that soon would come into question when Reagan heard a word that should not be shouted in such happy times.
"Walkers!" Carl shouted from behind, his body whirling around to face the undead mob that was hurrying towards them, "Look out!"
In an instant, Reagan's hand slipped out her pistol, "Carl! Get your mom!"
Before Reagan could pop off a shot, she saw Lori slide out her small black revolver and fire it. Gunshots suddenly pierced the air and Reagan rushed forward, taking down a Walker with her knife before it could take another step towards Lori. Lori looked to Reagan with her wide blue eyes in thanks, but Reagan ignored it and grabbed onto Lori's arm, "Come on, to the cellblock!"
Reagan looked around to her other counterparts, seeing that they had their own situations under control. Beth and Maggie escorted Hershel to a gated corridor far off on the next wall while T-Dog and Carol returned cover fire.
"Mom! Get inside, quick!" Carl was quick to push both Lori and Reagan forward, Reagan not arguing and pulling Lori along with her. Carl covered the back, taking down a few Walkers as he followed and shutting the gate behind him.
In the distance, Reagan could hear Rick's strained shouts.
Reagan helped Lori the best she could, the two women, accompanied by Carl, rushing into the cellblock and slamming the iron door shut. Reagan whirled around and jumped through the doorway, Lori and Carl close behind as Reagan ran towards the cellblock. A mass of groans and hisses erupted into the doorway, Reagan's eyes practically bugging out of her head when she saw a massive collection of Walkers jumping out of the cellblock at her.
"That way! That way, hurry!" Reagan shouted, cursing mentally to herself. The Walkers had screwed over her plans to retrieve her trusty scythe.
Reagan slammed a barred door shut behind her and Lori, Carl keeping watch in the front. Reagan spun Lori around and kept her close to her, Reagan's silence pistol shaking in her hand and raised. Carl and Reagan rushed Lori as quickly as possible, Reagan jumping around corners and not even caring what jumped back at her. Back and forth they weaved through as many hallways as they could, Reagan not seeing any Walkers. She swallowed hard and looked back to Lori, seeing her breathing a bit harder than she or Carl.
"Slow down, slow down..." Reagan breathed and placed her hand on Lori's shoulder, "You alright?"
"Yes, let's just keep moving!" Lori nodded at Reagan and she turned around, seeing Carl waving at them to follow in the clear. Reagan looked behind them warily and pushed Lori forward, Lori rushing and keeping after Carl.
The three stopped dead in their tracks when a loud, blaring ring sounded throughout the halls of the prison.
"What is that!?" Carl asked over the loud, annoying sounds and Reagan looked to him,
"The prison sirens, someone must've turned them on!"
"Reagan!" Lori called and Reagan turned around, beginning to see Walker shadows rolling across the walls. She waved at Lori,
"This way, hurry!" She rushed around and Carl ran forward, pointing his pistol down hall and doorways as they passed. Reagan kept her eyes forward and her pistol drawn, not seeing any Walker shadows before them just yet.
"Mom!" Carl called and Reagan looked over her shoulder, seeing Lori pressed up against the wall and her hand on her belly.
"Lori, what's wrong!?" Reagan could see the pain and agony on her face, Reagan having half an idea of what was happening.
"Something's not right!" Lori groaned and Carl hurried to his mom's side,
"Are you bit!?"
"No..." Reagan shook her head and looked to Carl, her jaw tightening, "That baby... it's coming."
"What!?" Carl shouted, his face full of worry, "Now!?"
Lori leaned her back on the wall and squatted down, Reagan grabbing onto her arm, "Come on Lori, not here!" They all turned when a gang of Walkers came hurrying around the corner, Reagan's heart leaping, "Definitely not here!"
Reagan wrapped her arm around Lori's waist and pulled her along, Lori's legs only working at a moderate pace. Carl was now at the head of the pack as he led the two women throughout the tombs, trying to find a way out if possible. His blue eyes darted left and right, as well as his pistol, checking each opening to them the best he could. Lori coughed and cried out in pain, her fingernails digging into Reagan's skin. Reagan gritted her teeth and did her best to ignore Lori's tight grasp, her mind racing a million miles a minute.
Shadows struck across the wall in front of them, Carl immediately backtracking and shoving past Lori and Reagan. Reagan followed Carl as closely as she could, her movement limited with Lori's struggling body tight to hers. She followed Carl down another hallway, Carl keeping his pistol up and ready to fire. Lori whimpered as she walked, making Reagan's nerves skyrocket. If they didn't get Lori somewhere safe soon, Reagan feared that the situation would unfold into a kind one.
"In here!" Carl finally said and pulled open a door, his eyes darting about cautiously as Reagan and Lori rushed into the room.
Down a flight of steps, Reagan pulled Lori to a stop and she doubled over, holding her stomach while gasping and cringing. Lori's breathing was rather labored with her sudden contractions and looked over her shoulder at the door, Reagan staring at it as well. Reagan took a deep breath and grabbed at Lori again, "Come on... come over here."
Lori leaned on the wall and gritted her teeth, groaning and almost falling to her knees from a large contraction. Reagan kept her on her feet and into a larger area of the boiler room, "Lori, let's lay you down!"
"No... the baby's coming now!"
"W-we have to get back to our cellblock, where it's safe and-!"
"No!" Reagan looked over at Carl, her eyes wavering and her head shaking, "We can't risk getting caught out there. Your mom needs to give birth to the baby here."
Lori's breathing sped up and she wheezed and gasped, Carl staring worryingly at his mother, "What's wrong? Can't she breathe!?"
"She's fine!" Reagan called back to him, but kept her focus on Lori in front of her. Reagan reached around to Lori's front and hastily unbuttoned her pants, "Let's get you pants off!"
Reagan yanked at Lori's tight jeans, Lori grabbing onto a bar next to her to steady herself while Reagan did so. With a tug, Reagan began to peel the jeans off Lori's legs all the way down to her feet. Lori tried to keep her breathing steady, taking deep breaths and letting them out slowly, her body riddling in pain.
"Carl, watch the door!" Reagan looked to Carl quickly and Carl turned around with hesitation, keeping a sharp eye on the door down the small hallway. Lori got down on her knees and lied on her back, Reagan tugging at her pants to get them completely off her legs.
"You're gonna have to help me bring your baby brother or sister out since Hershel's not here... you up for it?" Reagan asked Carl once she noticed he was now turning back to face his mother on the floor. Carl nodded at her and watched Reagan toss Lori's pants to the floor, "Hold still Lori... I'm gonna see if your dilated."
Reagan lifted up the flap of Lori's long shirt and took a peek between Lori's legs, the darkness in the room inhibiting her eyesight. She growled to herself and reached for her belt, "Dammit... don't have my flashlight!"
"I gotta push! I gotta push..." Lori groaned and leaned up on her hands, Reagan helping Lori get to her feet so she would have an easier time. Carl moved out of the way and Lori finally stood to her feet, hunching over a table and sucking in a deep breath.
Lori whimpered and huffed, pushing her innards as hard as she could with the breath she had in her lungs. Reagan kept her hand on Lori's back, rubbing her shoulders unconsciously for comfort. Lori panted and took no time to breath as she drew in another deep breath, crying out in anguish at the indescribable pains of birth, "Somebody!?"
Reagan snatched up Lori's hand when she clawed for the air, Lori's grip constricting Reagan's hand as hard as it could. Reagan's hand shook in Lori's, but she kept her eyes lowered to her legs just in case she saw the water break, "I'm okay, I'm okay!" Lori said more to herself than Carl or Reagan and Reagan could hear the blind fear in her voice at what was happening.
"You're doing good, Lori!" Reagan reassured with a nod and patted her back, "Just keep doing what you're doing, you're body knows exactly what it's doing so let it do all the work!"
Reagan crouched down and reached her hand up between Lori's legs in order to try and feel for the baby's head. Lori heaved in another breath and cried out once again, Reagan feeling something splatter against her hand. But it wasn't watery, it was thick. "Lori stop pushing! Something's wrong!"
Lori gasped and panted, dipping her head and trying to gather herself. Reagan lowered her hand into whatever light there was in the room and her eyes widened. There was blood all over her fingers. "Shit..." She cursed under her breath and jumped to her feet, "L-Lori!"
Lori fell back against Reagan and her fingers latched onto Lori's arms, Lori's feet struggling to maintain balance. In her struggle, Lori practically used up all her energy in pushing and now Reagan knew for sure she was light headed. Reagan helped Lori to the ground and rested her as softly as she could down onto concrete, Lori's eyes closing out of fatigue.
"Mom!" Carl was at his mother's side, his hand taking hers as he kept his eyes on Lori. Reagan worked at the flap of Lori's shirt as she desperately tried to see what was going on that was causing her to bleed, "Mom! Look at me, look at me keep your eyes open!"
"We should try to get you back to the cellblock, the sirens are gone!" Reagan crawled to Lori's side and Lori shook her head,
"No... I'm not gonna make it." She breathed.
"Lori, with all this blood, I don't think you're fully dilated yet! No amount of pushin' is gonna help you!"
"We both know what it means..." Lori said tiredly, speaking for both of them. It was true, Reagan already had an idea on what was happening to Lori, but she didn't fully want to accept it.
"And I'm not losin' my baby..." Lori said and looked at Reagan, who was back down at Lori's knees, "You gotta cut me open..."
"Absolutely not!" Reagan stared hard back at her and Lori closed her eyes, "I can't do that to you! I've got to keep you safe!"
"You know you don't have a choice..." Lori exasperated and Carl let her hand go, jumping to his feet,
"I'll go get a blanket and-!"
"No!" Lori called to him and stopped Carl dead in his tracks. Reagan swallowed hard and leaned over Lori's legs,
"Look, even if I do it, the amount of pain you'll be going through and the blood that you'll lose! I have no anesthetic, no equipment to do a procedure like this!"
"You have your knife..." Lori assured and Reagan's jaw tightened at the thought of the blade sitting in its sheath on her belt. Reagan shook her head,
"You won't survive, Lori... I can't let you die!" Reagan argued, not wanting to accept the fact that she had to do it regardless. If Lori continued to lie in front of her and push, the hemorrhaging in her body would only intensify and kill them both. But if she cut Lori open, Lori would most surely die. She just couldn't cut Lori open. Rick entrusted Reagan with Lori's life, Lori's protection, and Lori's wellbeing. She didn't want to fail him.
"My baby has to survive..." Lori breathed once again and she closed her eyes, rolling her head, "Please... my baby..."
Reagan avoided Lori's blue eyes and closed her own, her stomach churning at the thought of cutting Lori open. Lori gasped, "For all of us... please! Reagan, please!"
Reagan felt warmth crawl up the back of her throat and when she opened her eyes, a stray tear rolled out of the confines of her lashes. Reagan shook her head down at Lori and Lori whimpered, "Please! You have to..."
Reagan closed her eyes again and placed her hand on Lori's belly, Lori's hand grabbing onto hers. Reagan lifted her head again and Lori pulled Reagan's hand towards her, along with her shirt. With her belly now exposed, Reagan's eyes narrowed when she saw an elongated scar stretching about her lower belly.
"You see my old C section scar?" Lori asked and Reagan only confirmed her question when their eyes met, "You can do this... for me. You have to..."
"I can't..." Reagan said quietly and felt another tear stain her dry cheeks. Lori's eyes then moved to Carl, her head shaking at him,
"Carl... I don't want you to be scared. Okay? This is what I want... this is right." She said to him and Carl nodded his head at her, Lori's eyes now opening fully to look at him, "Now you... you take care of your daddy for me, alright? And your little brother or sister, okay?"
"You don't have to do this!" Carl's voice cracked and the sound of it made Reagan's throat sink into the pit of her stomach. Reagan closed her eyes again while she listened to Lori's last words to Carl.
"Oh... you're gonna be fine!" Lori said with a smile and Carl quietly began to sob at the realization that his mother was dying before him, "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 sobbed, tears rolling down his cheeks and dropping onto Lori's chest. Lori took a deep breath,
"You gotta do what's right, baby... you promise me you'll always do what's right." Lori avoided Carl's streaming eyes and looked to the concrete wall, "It's always easy to do what's wrong in this world... so if it feels wrong... don't do it, alright? If it seems easy, don't do it, don't let the world spoil you!"
Tears now rolled uncontrollably down Reagan's face and she sniffled, looking up and to the wall next to her. Her hand trembled on her knee, Reagan pressing the back of her hand on her forehead as she hung it over her lap. She couldn't believe what was happening. What was happening was breaking her heart into three. Hearing Carl's cries and sobs next to Lori made Reagan wish she had magical hands and could just heal Lori right up after all this was over and done with.
"You're so good!" Lori cried and rubbed the tears off Carl's cheek with her thumb as she cupped his face, "My sweet boy! The best thing I ever did... I love you!"
Lori pulled Carl down in a hug and Reagan lifted her head, hearing Lori now beginning to cry hysterically. Reagan pressed her lips into the back of her hand, her warm tears trying to comfort her the best way that they could. Lori repeated her love for Carl over and over again, rubbing his hair down the back of his head and patting his back. Lori kissed his cheeks over and over again, finally letting him go and pushing him back up.
"Okay, okay!" Lori said and wiped away her tears, Carl now hovering over her once again. Reagan swallowed hard and took a deep breath, sliding her knife out of its sheath and tightly gripping it in her shaky fingers, "Reagan, when this is over, you're going to have to do it! It can't be Rick!"
"I know..." Reagan breathed and her gold eyes finally muscled the strength to stare at Lori, "Are you ready?"
"Yes... yes..." Lori nodded to herself and stared at the ceiling, her lips breathing out a deep breath, "Reagan... watch over Rick for me."
"I will." Reagan said under her breath and looked down at Lori's scar across her stomach. Slowly, Reagan's raised her knife to her belly and readied for what she had to do next.
"It's okay... it's okay..." Lori reassured Carl next to her, Lori taking in a few anticipating breaths. With one final, deep breath, Lori stared at the ceiling one last time, breathing out her last words, "Goodnight, love..."
"I'm sorry, Lori."
Reagan slashed her knife deep across the scar, Lori's body lurching and her blood curdling screams causing Reagan's ears to ring. Reagan gritted her teeth and concentrated the best she could, careful not to cut too deep and harm the baby. Blood cascaded out of the wound and onto the floor, Reagan's stomach turning once again.
"Stop it!" Carl shouted over his mom's cries and Reagan only ignored it, "Stop it! You're killing her!"
Reagan sliced one last time and Lori's echoing cries subsided, her eyes rolling into the back of her head and her neck rolling her face to the concrete. Reagan angrily cried and slid her fingers into the lip of the laceration she had just cut, her hands desperately searching for the baby. Blood poured out of Lori's stomach and careened up Reagan's arms. Carl looked back and forth from his unconscious mother to Reagan as she searched for the baby under Lori's skin. The eerie sounds of Reagan's hands moving around in the blood made goose bumps crawl on Reagan's skin, but she put that aside and looked over to Carl.
"Carl, give me your hand!" She asked and Carl looked to her, hesitating and only staring at Reagan's hand moving under Lori's belly, "Carl, please!"
Carl finally moved to Reagan's side and stared blindly at the large cut on his mother's stomach. Reagan looked to him, "Hold up this skin, I have to cut the placenta!"
Carl held up the flap of skin and Reagan reached in with both hands, slicing her knife across the membrane, "Keep it up, I don't want to cut the baby!"
Finally, Reagan had made it through and she tossed her blood caked knife to the floor. It clanged as it hit the concrete and Reagan's hand reached back in, her fingers wrapping around a limb of the infant inside, "I see it! Here it is..."
Slowly, Reagan's hands carefully pulled the baby out of the lips of Lori's lacerated belly, the bloody infant cradled in Reagan's fingers. Reagan finally took a deep breath upon seeing the small child and she couldn't help but smile upon its sight. She checked over the baby's body, not seeing any deformities or problems, and returned to the infants head, not seeing anything stir on its face. Reagan choked down captured air in her throat, a small sense of panic rolling through her when she realized the baby was not breathing. She tapped on the baby's chest a few times, but there was still no response.
She held the baby on its stomach and rubbed and tapped the baby's back in hopes she could jump start the baby's lungs. Her struggled breath rolled through her breath once the baby let out a small whine, Reagan smiled and placing the baby back on its back. Reagan's eyes darted down to the sex of the child, seeing that the infant in her arms was indeed a baby girl.
"Say hello to your little sister..." Reagan said as she looked to Carl, who seemed to smile somewhat. She watched him strip off his jacket and quickly hand it to her, Reagan wrapping the baby inside to keep her warm.
The baby cried a few more times and settled down, Reagan rocking her in her arms to keep her as quiet as possible. Upon seeing the umbilical cord still attached to Lori, Reagan reached for her knife and slashed the cord closer the baby's body. The baby began to cry and her tiny hands reached up to Reagan, her fingers gripping at her cheek as Reagan stared down at the infant. Reagan looked to Lori again and her smile faded, Reagan's puffy eyes closing tightly.
"Come on Carl, we have to go." Reagan reopened her eyes and stood to her feet quickly, sheathing her knife back on her belt. Carl looked up at her, eyes wide,
"W-we can't just leave her here!" Carl stood to his feet and looked to Lori, "She'll turn..."
"Yes... she will..." Reagan slipped out her pistol and pointed it at Lori, "She will..."
"No..." Carl said and pushed down Reagan's gun, Reagan watching as a large tear rolled down his cheek. He then reached for his own pistol and gripped it in his hand, "She's my mom... I'll do it."
"Are you sure?" Reagan asked, not wanting him to do something he would regret. But Carl only offered her a nod in reply.
Reagan looked back down at Lori, saying her silent goodbyes as she turned around, the baby crying in her ear. Reagan slowly made her way back down the small hallway towards the door to the boiler room, her dirty blonde hair being tugged on by the newborn cradled against her body. Reagan tiredly stepped up the small set of stairs and stopped at the top, closing her eyes and pressing the baby's head against her cheek. She softly cried and mumbled in the baby's ear, waiting, just waiting for it all to be over all ready. The baby mumbled back to Reagan and the baby's hand brushed up against Reagan's cheek, the smacking of her lips signaling that she was hungry.
Reagan jumped at the exploding gunshot that angrily echoed throughout the room.
The baby cried out from the sound and Reagan cooed in her ear, pressing her tight against her body for comfort. The baby calmed again somewhat and she nuzzled her face up against Reagan's neck. Reagan looked over her shoulder, seeing Carl marching from around the corner, his face solemn and desolate as he walked. Reagan opened her mouth to say something to the young teen, but knew it was best to keep her mouth shut to herself. She sniffled and felt the baby's light little breaths on her neck as she turned back to the door, Carl taking the lead and opening it. The baby whimpered a few times, Reagan patting the infants back to keep her calm and quiet. Just because the sirens were off and there were no sign of Walkers now didn't mean one cry from the baby would keep them safe.
Carl raised his pistol and looked back at Reagan, his eyes cold and distant as he stared. She nodded and him and followed his lead as he walked down the hallway, keeping an eye out for Walker movement. To Reagan, it seemed like they were moving in slow motion to find their way back to the cell block. Her eyes hurt so much from crying and her heart pounded against the little baby's body resting on her chest. She couldn't think to herself anymore. All she did was follow Carl throughout the cold, clammy concrete corridors of the prison around them and hope that he wasn't too broken to react to Walkers if they came across any. Reagan's only pistol pounded against her waist somberly as she walked and it was the only thing that was telling her brain that she was still moving. Reagan was suddenly becoming claustrophobic in the hallways and immediately became sick to her stomach. But she knew she couldn't stop now. She had to keep going and get Lori's baby to safety. Lori's baby.
In one blink of an eye, Reagan stopped when she found herself back in the confines of the cellblock, Walkers bodies everywhere. She looked to the outside door to see it open. And in its openness, she could hear faint voices coming from the outside. Reagan's gold eyes stared down to Carl, who only stared at the large iron door leading outside, and without a word, he walked towards it and up the steps. Reagan instinctively followed after Carl to the stairs. One step. Two step. Three step.
Reagan wheezed when her mind finally came back to her and her body began to tremble. The voice she could hear just outside the doorway she stood in was Rick's frantic voice. It was Rick. Reagan swallowed hard and closed her eyes, her hysterics all coming back to her in one swift motion. Tears claimed the dryness of her sweaty, bloody face and she gritted her teeth, almost forgetting the baby was in her arms. But when she felt the little girl's hand ball up against the bareness of her chest, her eyes jumped open and she looked down to the child, hearing her mumbling against her neck. Reagan's breathing began to quicken at the thought of Rick. What was she going to tell him? What was there to be said to him?
She couldn't stand in the doorway forever. It would be killing Rick more wondering where they were or what happened to them rather than knowing full on.
A ray of sun hit Reagan's skin, warming it as she walked through the iron doorway and outside. Her boots treaded lightly across the metal walkway, and eventually, she crawled down the stairs in front of her. Carl was at her side and as soon as Reagan laid her eyes on Rick, the baby let out a loud, soft mumble against her skin. Rick's words halted and his entire body tensed, his head flicking around to find the source of the sound. Reagan clenched her eyes shut and her lips drew thin as her fingers pushed open the door in front of her, its squeal causing everyone to look her direction.
As soon as she opened her eyes, they somehow connected with Rick's. She walked slowly out of the doorway, Carl moving away from her and only keeping his eyes on the ground. The baby began to become restless again, her baby voice whimpering and blubbering. As Reagan approached them, her breath halted in her throat as she saw Rick beginning to walk towards her. She stopped and sniffled, her bloody hands keeping tight around the baby. Rick narrowed his eyes at her and tilted his head, the axe in his hand scraping across the ground and ultimately falling from his fingers. He wiped his hands down on his confused face as he stared at the baby, then up to Reagan's broken demeanor. He shook his head, his eyes searching for some sign of Lori past Reagan. Reagan's lips quivered as she tried to utter words to him about what happened, but the only thing she managed to breathe was Rick's name.
"W-where... where is she?" Rick stammered, his body now pacing around in shock. Reagan swallowed down all the air caught in her throat and tried to speak again, but the look on his face made her broken heart shatter into pieces.
"R-Rick! No!" Reagan attempted to stop Rick as he tried to move past her, but her bloody fingers slipped from the dirty cloth of his white t-shirt. Reagan took a couple steps back as Rick stopped next to Carl, his hands reaching up and pressing to his face.
He looked down at his distant son, Carl not moving and only staring at the ground. Rick coughed and sobbed, sliding his hands to his knees, "No... no..." He spit out over and over again, his strong voice now cracking with the sobs of his sorrow. Rick leaned back up and turned around, uttering his words in his cries and trying to find what to do with himself.
Reagan's free hand pressed against her bloody face and with her fatigued grievance caused her feet to buckle out from under her. She fell to her knees and cried against her hand, the baby's hands tapping against Reagan's chest and her small whimpers flooding her eyes. Her body trembled and she spit her own whimpers through her hand. Her tangled blonde hair did its best to comfort both her and the baby, but even it knew that there was no way possible it could do so. Reagan realized that she had failed. She had failed at the only thing she lived in this world to do. Protect people she cared about.
Through the blurry veil of her tears as she opened her eyes, Rick collapsed to the ground in his saddening regret.