"How are you feeling?"

"Worse."

"He should be back soon."

"Doesn't matter."

"Yes it does, it does to me."

"Why?"

"Because I'll kill you if you die on me again."

"Again?"

"Yes again…"

He coughed into his hand before looking up to me. He was worse for wear…His forhead glistened with sweat and he had a drenched shirt to match. Underneath his eyes were coated with red, puffiness and his mouth was a purple color. "Will you give it a rest? I feel like shit as it is I don't need to ride the guilt train too." He frowned. "How are you feeling fat ass?"

"Just peachy," I shifted in the seat the weight of this baby belly was straining me. "Due any day now I suspect, so does Rick." I laughed. "He said that when Lori was preg…" I shook my head my smile dripping off my face. "Never mind. I just hope Daryl is back by the time I go into labor whenever little Dixon's ready to come out."

Keegan furrowed his eyebrows. "You aren't going to give it your last name? Why Daryl's?"

I looked down into my hands fumbling on my stomach. "I don't know really…we both just kind of wanted it to be his last name."

"He didn't even ask for my blessing," Keegan shook his head but I could see the fading smile on his playful lips. "How are you going to handle it?"

I leaned forward. "I'm scared. I want to be a good mother, but how can I in this setting? I'll always have to tell her to run or hide or not to be loud. I'll always have to worry about being heard or not having the sufficient amount of supplies she'll need." I sighed. "I'll have to try my best thought and learn as I go. We did for Judy."

"Now it's a girl?" he raised his eyebrows.

I shrugged. "Daryl wants a boy…thought it only fair to wish for a girl." He didn't smile at my poke of fun. "You will help me right? Be a good uncle?"

"If I am still alive by then…" he mumbled and we sat there staring at each other for the next half hour in silence. Both our eyes stayed transfixed on our hands as we fidgeted, and trembled. Sometimes it irked me how similar we acted, how alike we were in our movements and thoughts…he always knew what I would do next, always one step ahead. We could sense when something was not right with the other, or if something happened…We were almost like twins except the age difference. This time though the glass shielding me from him was not the only wall up between us. I could not see past his faltering features and Keegan would never be able to get past my iron curtain of false emotions. Despite the fact I knew I should be ready to accept him back into my heart again it was too hard, especially with him on death row. Faith was never my forte. "You should go." He finally said trying to stand up.

I slowly pushed myself out of the chair. "Who's all helping you in there?"

Keegan coughs a few times before looking at me. "I help Alice on the upper floors, but she is getting really sick. Glenn and Sasha take the other half with Hershel."

"You shouldn't strain yourself."

He laughs at my frown turning to leave. "Take your own advice sissy." Then he was gone like a ghost in the darkness.

"Rose," he appears from the doorway stepping in the visiting room slowly. "Have you seen Hershel?" I shake my head. "Is he alright?" I nod. "I need to tell him about Carol."

"What happened to her?" My breath nearly stops at his words. I could feel that same pain forming in my chest like someone had punched my too hard.

Rick shook his head. "She is alright, she just had to leave." I furrow my eyebrows. "Carol killed Karen and David." I take a step back. Carol? Kill? Karen and David? Now she is gone? I squeeze my eyes shut, those two little girls…who would tend to them? Did Tyreese know? Did anyone? They were sick so she had to kill them, just because they seemed sick… "Was I wrong to send her away?" He looks lost in his words staring at me for relief.

I walk forward placing a hand on his shoulder. "You did what you thought was right. Would you want her around Judith?" I leave him with that question exiting the room with a spinning head. How could Carol be capable of something like that? Killing walkers is different from killing humans? Did they ask her? Did it hurt? How had she changed into someone able to kill at will? Was I able to do that? Did Daryl know? So many questions made me dizzy with confusion as I walked through the tombs. I knew I had to get back to administrations building before Daryl returned or else I would get an earful of lectures. It pained my heart to know I was lying to him, but this was something personal. His motives meant extremely well to me, for I knew he was just looking out for my heath but I could not wallow in my own self-pity. I had to do something. Instead of listening to myself I leave the prison walls and exit out onto the courtyard just to see if I could spot smoke from a car, or hear the revving engine as he returned home to me, but no such thing was heard. I leave in disappointment, more grief filling my body than hope. Carol was now gone from our decreasing numbers for murder against our own. Rick had to be justified. But it was Carol. Had I really been that oblivious to not see the changing before my eyes? I had forgotten most of my days here from sadness or repressing the memories but she had always been one to stay aside when it came to a lot of choice making. Is that why Daryl left so long ago? To flee my brutality in the making? Is this the same reason Keegan had left me alone too? To flee from his spiraling blood-frenzy? Carol had always been sweet and kind to me, and a bit jealous, but I looked passed that for all that she did for me. Would she have hesitated to kill me? I shake my head my vision becoming shaded by the administration building. I had to stop thinking of Carol's actions or they would drive me up a wall.

"Bethy?" I knocked sheepishly on the door.

I heard a shuffle and could see the outline of her body behind the door. "Rose! My gosh what are you doing out here? You need to get back in your room!

A sigh of relief flowed from my mouth as I leaned against the door, she was alright. "I've been out here for a while now. I had to see Keegan, he's sick."

"Like Glenn." It wasn't much of a question but I nodded. "Is Daryl back?"

"No," I squeezed my eyes shut running my hand through hair used to the sudden end now. "Any day now."

"You should have stayed put Rose. Do you understand how reckless and dangerous you are being? Do you know how much harm you are putting towards you baby?" I could hear Judith's moans in the background noise as Beth began to raise her voice. "I know you hear this a thousand times but you are looking after two now, don't be stupid."

I gritted my teeth. "I can't just sit here."

To my surprise, Beth laughed. "I think we all get it now, you have ADHD, and you can't sit still, but use your head sometimes please. If not for Daryl and that baby-your family-do it for me?

"You are my family Beth. I'd do anything for you and them." I pressed my head against the door. "I am sorry for causing you strain these last few minutes, but I don't know why I can't seem to use my common sense in these situations. It's like I forget I am pregnant sometimes…"

"Don't see how that can be?" she chuckled again. "You look huge from in here."

I bit the inside of my lip. The size meant one thing to me, and that was the oncoming anxiety I would have for looking after this child. "Any day…any day…" I looked down the hall. "I better get back into my room for some rest before Daryl returns. I don't want to be pissy when he gets back." I slowly leave her door with wants of just curling up into a ball and let her sing me to sleep like a mother would do. It was strange to think of Beth like that, but it was her comforting nature that leads me to those beliefs. I slid back into the room and find myself back in the swivel chair playing with drawers and emptied coffee mugs finding thoughts to ease myself into sleep.

The woods were dark and covered in a layer of thick fog. 'I can't see.' I say aloud though no one is around me. The sun was surly in a deep sleep letting the moon take its starring role up in the sky shining over this dark trail lighting a sinister path. My feet crunched against the leaves as I clambered through the forest my veins pulsating in my wrist adrenaline my only friend tonight. It was quiet except for my feet and racing heart beat thumping loudly in my chest. Too quiet… A soft grumble could be heard in the distance. I headed for the sound hearing it louden with every step closer, now another sound could be heard…a low whine. I pushed a branch aside throwing moonlight onto the radio of sound. A person was hunched over something. 'Hello?' my voice sounded almost ghost like. Slowly this person-this man-this walker. I took a step back as it came more into view. The thing it was eating fell to the ground. 'No!' It was baby half eaten by this monster with small hands bloodied by its own blood. 'Why would-!" I couldn't speak for this walker; I knew him. 'Daryl?' His face was decayed by time and death as he staggered forward no emotions in his soulless eyes. Blood splattered onto my face as a bullet dove straight into his head, he fell lifeless at my feet. 'Don't worry Rose, I'm here now." It was Philip holding a gun in his hand advancing towards me.

"No!" I screamed out awakening in a chair. My body was drenched in sweat and the side of my mouth was dry from saliva slightly pooling from my mouth. How long had I been asleep? I saw a light flash from underneath the door and slightly hear Rick calling out for Carl. I try to get to my feet slightly lightheaded from the action and wobbly on my feet, but I make it too the door. "Rick?" I call out curious as to what time it was or if Daryl had come back.

"I heard gunshots," I hear Carl answer back and I leave my room completely.

"What's going on?" I ask him just before they leave the building.

Rick looked rushed. "Something is happening in Cell Block D, but I need to fix the problem with the fences."

"Is anyone hurt?" He just shook his head silently telling me to stay put. I decide to listen to his and Beth's advice and think about this child's safety. Keegan could handle his own whatever was going on in Cell Block D right? He did when he was in Woodbury why not now? I try to think of bettering thoughts as I close the door, but fear of harm coming to anyone I cared about plagued my mind along with the frightening images I had received through the dream. I couldn't let him die, or Alice, or Glenn, or Hershel. I couldn't sit here a wait for everyone to die. I had to help them. I leave the room at once feeling the protest from this baby as I run to Cell Block D at a slow pace. The glass in the visiting room is shattered most likely from someone else trying to break in. My thoughts fly to Maggie who would do anything for her husband and father. I climb my way over the desk in front of the window wincing in pain as my hand meets a broken piece of glass, but I get over and into the cell block. Bodies lay on the floor with blood splattered beside their corpses. I can hear crying from locked cell doors, and snarling from other ones. With my gun raised and ready I hustle up the stairs to the end of the row to find him hunched over a body. "Keegan," I cried out knowing I was too late my grip faltering but tightening at the same time. What could I have done to prevent this?

"You need to leave," he breaths out straightening up revealing himself to be in the same state, slightly worsened, from when I last saw him which only must have been a few hours ago. On the ground Alice was unconscious with a tube down her throat while Keegan pumped hair into it.

I walked forward setting my gun on Keegan's bed. "Lay down." I take the bad and sit down pumping air into the girl's lungs. I had not realized she was capable of getting sick too. He does not refuse me as he crawls behind me in the bed and curls up close to the wall. "Does she know your real name?" I ask staring down at Alice.

"I told her when she started to look after me…" his voice is wheezy. "She's nice."

"You like her, don't you?" I toss a smirk over my shoulder at him.

Keegan slowly smiles back. "Is it that obvious?"

"Not to her, no." I motion down to her unconscious state. "She'll get better. She'll be okay." I turn sideways to keep one hand on the air pump and to reach over and brush sweaty hair from Keegan's face. "We're all going to be okay. You'll both survive this, everybody lives."

He shook his head groaned in pain trembling from head to toe. "I don't know how much longer I can hold onto this life anymore."

"I forgive you." I whisper making him stop shaking. "For everything, I think I am ready to forgive you. Please just don't leave me again."

"I won't." He reached out and gave my arm a light squeeze.

"They're back!" I hear someone shout and I almost drop this air tube onto Alice. Keegan begins the sit up to take it from me but something else catches us off guard.

Daryl had just barged into the room a bottle of medicine and syringe in his hands. His eyes flash to mine, then to Keegan, then to Alice on the ground. He must have wanted to help Keegan first. "She probably needs it most." He says setting the medicine and syringe on the desk in Keegan's cell and retreating from the room.

I look to Keegan. "Go I can handle Alice." I flee his room rushing after Daryl. "Daryl!" He had made it out of Cell Block D and into the courtyard when I finally caught up to him. There were dead walkers just near the fence and I could feel his eyes on them and me as he turned around.

"I wanted to come back with you in the office. I wanted to come back to fine you safe. I wanted to come back and give your brother the medicine. I wanted to come back for you to listen to me." He frowned.

I shifted my weight. "I couldn't sit in there while my brother decayed in front of my eyes." I walked to him grasping his arms in mine the close contact no longer scared us both with medicine nearby. "If it makes you feel any better I stayed behind a glass most of the time I talked to him, and that time was only the second time I was in Cell Block D. Look at me, I am healthy."

"You can't just play this off with luck!" I pulled away from me. "I go out there constantly thinking of everything that could go wrong only to find out it did! Do you know how precious your life is? Do you know what you have inside of you? I am sick and tired of always having to remind you to not be so irresponsible!"

"If it was me would you go in there?"

He pointed beyond me. "No! I would be out there looking for things to heal you!"

"Would you have stayed in an office while I got sicker and sicker every day?"

"No!"

"Then why are you yelling at me!" I screamed back. "He's my brother! Glenn, Alice, Hershel is in there! I can't just sit in some office while they get closer to death's door step! Stop judging me on things you can't control! I am fine so just stop yelling at me!"

He throws his hands in the air. "No I will not because despite everything we talk about you refuse to listen to me! Despite always reminding you how dangerous the situation you get yourself into you still go and find some stunt to go do! You just can't get it through you head how easy you can die out here! I raise my finger to retaliate but instead I clutch my fingers into fist as shooting pain spreads throughout my body. I let out a cry of pain holding onto my stomach. "What is it?' he rushes forward grabbing my shoulders and back to help me in any way he thought.

"I think-I think the baby is coming…" I breathe heavily as the pain subsides a bit

"Let's get you to the informatory." He begins to move me but another pain hits me. "Or we can just stay here." Daryl laughs.

I glare at him. "Don't laugh; I am still mad at you."

"Mad at me? You don't get the right to be mad at me." He begins to help me to the ground.

"Then you don't get the right to be mad at me." I squeezed my eyes shut as another wave of pain shoots through me.

"How about we just don't be mad at each other?" he asked brushing hair from my face. "I feel like we're always mad."

I try to smile. "We'll just find another war to fight."

He leans forward and presses his lips against mine. "I missed you so much while I was out there." His hand slides down my face. "I was just so worried that when I came back I wanted everything to be safe, and for you to be healthy." He kisses me again and again and again until my lips feel numb with his love.

"I shouldn't abuse you care." I sigh ready for when the next cramp came. "Maybe I still have maturing to do before I am ready to make my own decisions." I squeeze his hand but not in agony; instead, with longing. "I missed you too."

"Did you water even break?" he asked looking at me bemusement in his blue eyes.

I leaned against him as we sat on the ground. "No, but the ground feels cold and I like it." He laughs quietly beside me. "People always have those misinterpreting contractions."

"Any day though…any day…"

Any suggestions on baby names?