HOLY MOTHER OF GOD! I'M FINALLY UPDATING! I am SO sorry for the lack of updates! I had some health issues, and then I had writers block, and then I lost my motivation. BUT I watched the new trailer for the upcoming season and I'm motivated all over again! I hope this chapter was worth waiting for! If it isn't, then I apologize.

Thank you to ALL of you who reviewed, followed, and favorited even in my absence. It means so much to me! You guys are seriously amazing. And thank you to those who also PM'd me to make sure that I was alive. Very heartwarming. Thank you :').

ANYWAYS, the LONG awaited chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own, or claim to own, anything associated with the Walking Dead. I just like playing around with it!

Enjoy!

Chapter 20 (Beth POV)

It had been a three months since Rick and I came out with our relationship. People had no trouble at all accepting us, which we were so grateful for. Even Maggie doesn't give me a hard time anymore. I have found that I can actually gush to her about Rick and I's relationship and she acts like she is genuinely happy for me.

I was cleaning the dishes one afternoon when I suddenly felt a horrible cramp in my stomach. I clutched my stomach and cried out, dropping the plate on the floor causing it to shatter, as well as alert everyone in the house of my distress.

It was Carol who rushed in first. "Beth?" She ran over to me and I all but collapsed in her arms due to the intense cramping I was experiencing. "Beth, what is wrong?"

"Cramps," I managed to gasp out.

"Beth?" Rick came into the kitchen and as soon as he saw the pained look on my face he quickly picked me up and carried me over to the living room to lay me on the couch. "What hurts?" he asked remaining calm, but the frantic look in his eyes gave away his true emotions.

"My stomach is cramping. I think..." I moaned in agony as I felt a hot wetness pool between my legs. "I think I'm bleeding."

Carol squatted down next to the couch. "Is it your period?"

"No," I shook my head quickly. "This is different. This hurts." I cried out again as another spasm wracked my abdomen.

In no time the rest of the group had rushed in to see what was going on. My dad came to my side and took my hand. "You need to let Carol take a look at ya, sweetheart. Can you make it upstairs to your bed?"

I nodded. "I think so."

"I'll carry her." Rick effortlessly lifted me in his arms and took me up to our room, gently laying me on the bed. He kissed my forehead and brushed a lock of hair out of my face. "I'm gonna let Carol look at ya, alright baby? I'll be right outside."

I nodded again, not able to find my voice.

Carol shooed everyone out of the room, including a very distressed Maggie, before she instructed that I lifted the shirt from my belly so she could examine it. I obeyed her orders and lifted my shirt, and her brow furrowed immediately at the sight of my stomach. "Gained a bit of weight there, have ya?"

I groaned in annoyance. "Thanks, Carol. You sure do know how to make me feel better."

"No, really Beth." She bent down and pressed on different parts of my stomach, scrutinizing it carefully. "I'm gonna ask you something, and you're gonna tell me the truth. Got it?"

My heart stopped at her seriousness and I managed to nod.

"Have you and Rick been using protection?"

My eyes widened. "No," I whispered.

Carol sighed and rubbed her face with her hands. "Dammit, Beth."

"What?"

"You said you're bleeding? Have you checked?"

"No, but I feel it."

Carol groaned and sat on the bed next to me. "You're pregnant. Or at least you were."

I had trouble forming a coherent sentence due to the fact that my mind was now running a million miles an hour. "I...what..."

"I think you're having a miscarriage. You and Rick weren't using protection, and by the looks of your stomach, I would say that you were three to four months along."

"Oh..." My eyes started to water. "What...what do we do?"

"Nothing." Carol sighed again. "We just let your body get rid of it naturally. It's the only thing we can do. I'm so sorry, Beth."

I wanted to cry. I really did. I just lost my baby. But I couldn't. My body wouldn't allow me. A part of me was actually...relieved. Relieved that I didn't have to go through childbirth. Relieved that I wouldn't have to worry about ending up like Lori.

Relieved that I didn't have to bring a baby into this world.

"Beth?" Carol brought me back down from my thoughts. "Do you want me to get Rick?"

I shook my head. "I need to clean myself up first. I'll call him in when I'm ready." Carol patted my thigh and left the room to give me the privacy I needed. I forced myself to get up and take off my pants and slightly bloody underwear. I threw the underwear in the trash and then put a tampon in before redressing myself.

After I was decent, I opened the bedroom door and allowed Rick inside. I lay down on the bed and he lay down next to me, taking me into his comforting arms. "What happened?" He asked softly.

My mouth went dry, making it difficult to speak. "Carol said that I am having a miscarriage."

Rick stilled next to me, attempting to digest the news. "What?"

Tears filled my eyes and I let out a sob. "I was pregnant and...oh God!" Whatever tears my body was holding back finally made their way out. The temporary numbness that I was experiencing had fled just as quickly as it came.

"Beth...I'm so sorry, baby." Rick smoothed my hair down with his hand and held me close, kissing my forehead every now and then while whispering comforting words to me.

I sniffed and took a few deep breaths to calm myself. "The sick part is, I'm kinda relieved, you know? I would hate myself if I brought a child into this world. What a horrible life it would have...what kind of person would that make me?"

"You would still be the wonderful person that you are, Beth." He put a finger under my chin and forced me to look at him. "You would have loved and took care of that baby with all that you had. Myself included. It would've had a wonderful life because it would've had two parents and an entire group of people that would have loved them so much. That's all that matters, Beth. The love we have for each other in this group is what keeps us so strong. We are a family."

I let out another sob. "You're right. I just...I feel so shitty, Rick."

Rick pulled me tighter against him and I buried my face in his chest, welcoming the comfort he was providing for me. "I know. I'm so sorry that I put you through this."

My brow furrowed in confusion and I lifted my head away from his chest to look at him. "You?"

"We should've used protection," he sighed. "I'm the adult. I should've known-"

"Rick," I snapped. "We are both adults. I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions. We decided together that we didn't want to use a condom. This isn't just you're fault. It's mine too."

He thought for a moment before nodding and kissing my forehead again. "Okay, Beth. Just rest for now."

"I'm not-"

"I'm not asking, I'm telling." He looked at me sternly. "Rest."

I bit my bottom lip. "You'll stay here, right? You won't leave?"

Rick smiled warmly. "I'll be right here, I promise."

Feeling reassured, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to fall into a restless sleep.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it isn't very long. I hope it was good anyway. PLEASE leave a review for me. It would really motivate me to update soon. You guys are the greatest! Thank you so much! I hope you enjoyed!