In the next few weeks, Shane and Vanessa grew very comfortable in Woodbury. They'd wake up, Shane worked as one of the Governor's men, and Vanessa worked at a clinic. They were happy. As the air outside got colder, Vanessa's stomach grew larger. November came and went, in Woodbury they even had a Thanksgiving, so to speak.

One morning, in December, Vanessa laid in their bed, during the time right before she had to wake up. She just thought. Thought about her sister and Rick, and even Carl. How she missed her favorite nephew. For a while he was the closest thing she'd ever have to a child. Most weekends, when Rick would be working and Lori would be running errands, Vanessa would take Carl out, just the two of them. They'd go see a movie or go to the park. It was just fun. She actually missed those times when it was just the two of them. She'd never tell Shane but being a mom, scared the hell out of her. She was so afraid she'd mess it but somehow.

Warm, strong arms pulled her closer to an even warmer body. She allowed herself to relax into Shane. They couldn't get as close as before, given the giant pregnant belly between them. She was due any day now. Shane pushed her hair back from her face and kissed her sweetly.

"Mornin', Darlin'," he said sleepily.

"Mm," she groaned and buried her face in his chest. "I wish I could just lay here all day…"

"Me too," he agreed. "But, we got work to do."

"Mm. How are you so warm?" she wondered. There was only a little bit of heat on in the apartment to save power, and Vanessa was shivering, even after being buried under two thick blankets and in Shane's arms.

"Dunno. Guess I'm just lucky."

"Maybe…Do you ever think about them?"

By them, Shane knew who she meant. The rest of their group. "'Course. I'm sure they're safe…"

"I hope so…I wish we woulda taken Lori, Rick, and Carl…"

"He wouldn't a left the rest of the group…you know Rick."

"Yeah…" she sighed. Their alarm went off, signaling it was time to start a new day.

Everything happened so quickly. One moment, Vanessa was getting dressed, the next, she was standing in a sopping wet puddle. Shane refused to let her walk to the clinic, so he carried her. The clinic wasn't a far walk, and on his way he happened to see Martinez headed toward the Governor's place.

"Hey, Martinez, can you let the Governor know I won't be in today? My wife's havin' her baby."

"Sure, man. Congratulations!"

"Thanks."

Shane quickly got her into the makeshift hospital and the night shift doctor got to work. Vanessa was typically the one to be working at the time.

The doctor made Shane wait outside the room, claiming he would just distract her and Vanessa. Vanessa wanted Shane by her side, and thought that the doctor was being rather selfish. She'd had to deliver a baby exactly one time while she was here, and she let the dad stay in the room. Nevertheless, Shane sat outside the door. He could hear Vanessa's screams of pain through the door and it took everything he had in him not to bust the door down just to be at her side.

"Are ya waitin' on her?" Shane looked up to see none other than the Governor standing before him at the entry to the clinic.

"Yeah. The doctor wouldn't let me stay."

"Hold on, just a minute."

The Governor opened the door. He saw a woman in her late forties standing with Shane's wife. He knew the woman to be Ivy Colman. Most of the time she was nasty to people and didn't particularly like children. That's why Vanessa became the new day time doctor. She was sweet and genuinely cared what happened to the citizens of Woodbury.

"Can I help you?" the gray haired woman with eyes blacker than coal asked.

"Yes. Let this woman's husband stand by her side," the way the Governor said it, made it clear that it wasn't a request but a command. Shane crept into the room and Vanessa shot him a look. It was full of pain and pleading. Her eyes looked tired and she seemed more weak then he'd ever seen her.

"Of course, Governor," Ivy replied. That was all Shane needed. Her hurried to Vanessa's side and held out his hand. She wrapped her hand around his.

"Shane, if you need anything else don't be afraid to ask," the Governor said.

"Thank you!" Shane called as the Governor walked from the room.

As another contraction hit, Vanessa's hand tightened around Shane's. This small amount of pain was the least he could endure…for her.

"Ahh!" she screamed out in pain. Shane placed his other hand over Vanessa's, in attempt to soothe her.

A few long hours of painful, stressful, pushing later, Shane and Vanessa both heard a soft cry. One of a small baby. By that point, the blonde, young woman, Aubrey, who usually helped Vanessa had made her way into the clinic and was doing most of the help with the baby, which was a welcomed change to the constant angry, bitter Ivy.

Aubrey was training to be a nurse before the world went to hell, and Vanessa helped train her so she'd be ready to assist in something such as this. The blonde cleaned the baby off and handed the small bundle to the loving parents.

"Thank you," Vanessa said sweetly. Aubrey looked up at her with honey brown eyes and smiled.

"She's gorgeous," Aubrey smiled, slightly jealous of the happy little family.

"That's 'cause she looks like her momma," Shane grinned.

"I'll be in the hall, if y'all need anything," the young woman left the couple and their baby alone.

The little girl smiled when she heard her father's voice.

"She has your smile," Vanessa commented.

"Your eyes," Shane pointed out, seeing the pretty blue color. The baby gripped his finger. "Your little button nose…" he trailed off, amazed that something could be so small and so beautiful.

"Wanna hold her?"

"Can I?"

"Of course, silly. You're her dad," Vanessa passed the baby off to the father. He held his daughter in his arms for the first time. "Y'know, we still have to name her."

"Thought it was Larayne Zara?" Shane replied.

"Are you sure you're okay with that?" he nodded and she smiled. "I love you."

"I love you," he leaned over and kissed Vanessa's forehead. "And, I love you," he kissed Larayne's.