Amelia didn't get much sleep that night. She lay in her tent, staring up at the faint outline of the tarp above her, her mind churning with fear she couldn't push away. Every rustle of leaves or distant crack of a branch outside seemed amplified, but it wasn't the fear of bandits or the undead that kept her awake.

It was the thought she couldn't shake—the possibility that she might be pregnant.

Her fingers tightened around the edge of her blanket, the fabric balled in her fists as she drew a shaky breath. She tried to convince herself it wasn't true. Maybe she was just sick.

Her mind scrambled for any other possible explanation, but the doubt clung to her like a shadow, refusing to let go.

"Get a grip," she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible in the stillness. But no matter how hard she tried to push the thought away, it kept circling back, gnawing at the edges of her resolve.

If it was true, then what? Even before all of this - before the world had gone to hell - she'd never pictured herself as the motherly type. And now? In this brutal, unforgiving world? She could barely survive day to day as a dumb kid herself. How could she possibly care for a baby?

Her mind spiraled, latching onto every worst-case scenario. What if she couldn't find enough food? What if she got sick? What if something went wrong? The thought of bringing a baby into this nightmare - into a world filled with death and chaos - made her feel sick.

She swallowed hard, a wave of dread crashing down upon her, heavier than anything she'd ever felt. How was she going to tell Ben? Would he panic? Would he blame her? Or worse—would he walk away?

But even more terrifying was the thought of telling her parents. Her dad would lose it. She could already see the fury in his eyes, hear the way his voice would rise as he tore into her and Ben. There'd be no reasoning with him. No calming him down.

Amelia pressed her hands to her face and groaned into them. She'd barely survived what happened today - this was all too much for the girl.

Goddammit, how could they be so stupid?

She turned onto her side, trying to collect herself. She'll deal with this somehow.

The first light of dawn crept into the camp, muted and gray. Amelia sat up, wincing as she propped herself up with her sore arm. She rubbed her eyes, still foggy with a rough night's sleep.

She glanced around the tent, her packed bag leaning against the corner like a silent reminder of what came next.

The camp was quiet. Todd and Leland were sorting through supplies near the far end of the clearing, while Marie busied herself cleaning out an old cooking pot. For once, no one was hovering over Amelia or Ben, and the rare sliver of privacy felt almost foreign.

Amelia sat in a chair near the fire pit, her injured arm resting gingerly on her lap. Ben sat beside her. "Hey. You doing okay?"

Amelia hesitated, chewing on the inside of her cheek. "I'm fine."

Ben glanced at her then, his brow furrowing. "Are you sure?"

She shrugged, wincing at the pull on her arm. "I'm just...tired, I guess."

Ben slung an arm over her shoulders, pulling her closer to him, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder. "You just haven't really been yourself since we got back."

Amelia looked down at her hands, fidgeting with a loose thread on her sweater. Her heart pounded in her chest as she debated what to say. For a moment, she considered telling him, letting her secret spill out right then and there. But the words stuck in her throat, tangled up with her own uncertainty.

"I guess I'm just trying to process everything," she said finally. "The bandits...the close call...everything. It's a lot."

Ben nodded slowly, giving her a small squeeze. "No kidding. I was terrified. But hopefully it's safer where we're going."

"Yeah," she murmured, forcing a small smile. "Hopefully."

Ben pressed a kiss to the top of Amelia's head before pulling back, leaning his elbows on his knees. "Everything's gonna be okay."

His words were meant to comfort her, but they only made her feel worse. She couldn't keep it in anymore. "Ben," she said quietly, glancing around to make sure the others were still preoccupied. "Can we talk? Alone?"

He looked up, a hint of concern flashing across his face. "Yeah, of course."

She stood and led him a few steps away, toward the edge of the clearing where the trees cast deep shadows. The distance didn't offer much privacy, but it was enough to keep their voices from carrying.

"What's up?" Ben asked, his tone cautious.

Amelia couldn't believe she was doing this, but it had to be done. She took a deep breath, her hands trembling as she clutched the edge of her sweater. She struggled to meet his eyes, staring instead at the ground between them. "I...I think I might be pregnant." The words felt heavier than she expected, like they'd been carved out of stone.

And his world stopped momentarily. It felt as though the blood stopped running through his veins, like his heart ceased beating, and he stopped breathing all together. Nothing moved or happened for a few split seconds. His mind spun and he felt dizzy as the impact of her words hit him. Then suddenly the blood rushed through his ears and his heart was beating uncontrollably and he gasped for air. Ben blinked at her, expression frozen in shock, his tongue felt impossibly heavy as he spoke. "W-What?"

Amelia nodded quickly, her words rushing out now. "I'm not sure yet, okay? Please don't freak out."

"Are you serious?" Ben asked her, his voice steady now despite the panic that lingered in his eyes.

"Yes," she whispered, finally looking up at him. The fear in her expression was unmistakable.

He raked his fingers through his hair, pacing a few steps. "Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck..."

Ben looked to his side and saw that Amelia was on the verge of tears. Taking a shaky breath, he forced himself to get it together. "W-Well, what makes you think that?"

Amelia sniffled, blinking the tears away. "Well, I'm late, for one." She crossed her arms, drumming her fingers on her upper arm as she thought back to the last few weeks after they...well, did it. "I've been a little more tired than usual, haven't had as much of an appetite, and...I'm still feeling kinda nauseous after last night."

"Okay...okay," Ben muttered, as if trying to convince himself. "We don't even know for sure yet, right? It could be anything, right? M-Maybe it's just-"

"It's not something we can ignore, Ben!" she snapped, her voice cracking under the strain.

"I know," he said quickly, stepping closer. "I know. I'm not saying that. I just...Jesus, Mel." He dragged a hand down his face, his mind racing. "What do we do? Should we tell someone?"

Amelia hesitated, her mind churning. "I don't know. If I'm wrong, then what's the point? But if I'm right..." She trailed off, her throat tightening. "You know my dad's gonna lose it."

Ben nodded stiffly. Todd would not take this lightly. He'd be damn near murderous to him for getting her to where she was. Now that he had really acknowledged this, he swallowed a bit. Her dad could be terrifying. "Yeah...but if you are, they're gonna find out anyway."

Amelia frowned, biting her lip. "We can't tell my parents. Not yet."

They both fell silent, the enormity of the situation settling heavily between them. Then, Ben spoke up, his voice tentative. "Leland."

Amelia blinked. "Leland?"

"Yeah," Ben said. "He's a pretty reasonable guy, and he might know what to do."

Amelia mulled it over. She trusted Leland, sure. He was steady, level-headed, and had been with their group long enough to feel like family. But still...

"You sure it's a good idea?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know," Ben admitted. "But he's our best shot right now. And...if it turns out you are...pregnant, we're gonna need someone in our corner before we tell anyone else."

Amelia exhaled slowly, then nodded. "I guess you're right. Okay, let's get it over with."

Ben and Amelia made their way back over to the camp. As Todd and Marie busied themselves loading supplies and double-checking their inventory, Ben caught Leland's attention with a quick nod.

"Hey, Leland," Ben said, trying to keep his voice casual. "Can we talk?"

Leland raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two of them. "What's goin' on?"

"Just...come with us," Amelia said quietly, her voice steadier than she felt.

Leland hesitated but followed them toward the edge of camp. The man crossed his arms and leaned against a tree, eyes scanning their faces. "Alright, you got my attention. What's this about?"

Amelia glanced at Ben before stepping forward. Her hands fidgeted at her sides as she took a shaky breath. "Listen, if I tell you, do you promise to keep this between us? At least for now?"

Leland's brows knit together, and he let out a long sigh. "Ah, shit. I think I know what y'all are about to tell me."

Amelia's face fell. "You do?"

"I'm guessing it ain't about extra rations or fixing the damn tent pole," Leland muttered, his tone dry but not unkind. "So spit it out."

Amelia shifted uncomfortably, her voice low. "I might be pregnant."

Leland pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Goddammit. I don't even know what to say. Except this was incredibly stupid and irresponsible. The hell were you two thinkin'?"

Amelia winced. "It just...it happened, okay? We weren't trying to-"

"That's the problem," Leland cut in. "You weren't thinking. Do you have any idea how dangerous this is? With everything we're already dealing with?"

Ben stepped forward defensively, his jaw tightening. "It's not like we planned for this to happen, Leland."

"Oh, really?" Leland shot back. "Because from where I'm standing, it sure as hell looks like you didn't plan for it not to happen either."

Amelia's face flushed with shame, and she opened her mouth to respond, but Leland held up a hand to stop her. "Look, I get it. You're young, you're scared, and this world's a mess. But dammit, you can't afford to be this reckless. Not now."

Ben ran a hand through his hair, frustration and guilt warring on his face. "We know, okay? We screwed up. But we need your help, not a lecture."

Leland sighed again, his shoulders sagging as some of the heat left his voice. "Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry. I just...damn it, this is big. Bigger than you realize."

Amelia nodded weakly. "I know. That's why we came to you. We don't know what to do."

This struck Leland, but for her sake, he didn't show it. She sounded like a scared little girl. And in a way, she was. His expression softened slightly, though his frustration was still evident. He crossed his arms again, his tone more measured. "Okay. First things first - we need to figure out for sure. No use panicking over a 'maybe.'"

Amelia nodded quickly. "But how? It's not like we can just walk into a pharmacy and grab a test."

"Right," Leland said. "All we can do is wait and see. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. But for now, keep this between us. The last thing we need is Todd finding out before we're ready to deal with it."

"What's going on over here?"

The sound of Marie's voice startled all three of them. They turned to see her walking toward them, concern etched on her face.

Amelia froze, her heart pounding. Ben looked equally panicked, his mouth opening as if to speak but no words coming out.

"Well, shit." Leland turned to Amelia. "You gonna tell her or should I?"

Marie blinked, glancing between the three of them. "Tell me...what?"

Amelia felt a lump in her throat. No use in hiding it now, especially with the look on her mother's face in that moment.

"Mom," Amelia said, her voice shaky. "I...I think I might be pregnant."

The color drained from Marie's face. "Oh, dear..." she whispered, swallowing thickly.

"B-But we don't know yet," Amelia rushed to explain, her words tumbling over each other. "I-It might just be stress, or...or something else."

Marie took a deep breath, her hand moving instinctively to her forehead. She closed her eyes for a second, gathering herself. When she looked at Amelia again, her expression was calm but serious. "Okay, well...what are your symptoms?"

Amelia hesitated, glancing at Ben as if searching for reassurance. "I'm...late, for one."

"How late?"

"I don't know, two days?" Amelia admitted. "And I've been...tired. And nauseous."

"Well, it's quite possible," Marie said softly. "But stress can absolutely mess with your cycle, especially with everything going on. Anything else?"

Amelia hesitated, then shook her head. "No. That's it."

Marie exhaled slowly, her mind clearly working through the possibilities. "Okay. Well, like I said, stress could explain some of this. Let's not go jumping to conclusions. The only way to know for certain is to find a pregnancy test, but those aren't exactly easy to come by these days."

Amelia bit her lip, nodding faintly. "So what if I am?"

"Both of you, come with me," Marie said, her tone leaving no room for argument. She motioned for Ben and Amelia to follow her, and they quickly obliged.

She led them to her tent, glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching. Once inside, Marie crouched down and unzipped her duffel bag. She rummaged through its contents for a moment before pulling out a small, amber bottle.

Straightening up, she pressed the bottle into Amelia's hand without a word.

Amelia frowned, turning it over to inspect the label. The name didn't look familiar. "What is this?"

"Take three or four of those," Marie said. "If you are pregnant, that should...take care of it. Your father won't have to know."

Amelia froze, her fingers tightening around the bottle. Her stomach churned as realization dawned on her. "Y-You want me to..."

"I want you to have a choice," Marie interjected, her voice firm yet tinged with an underlying sadness. "This isn't a world for children, Amelia. Not anymore. It's not fair to you or any of us."

Marie looked between Ben and Amelia, both wearing somber expressions and sighed, running a hand over her face. "I know it's not my decision to make, so I'm going to give you two some time alone to think it over."

With that, she turned and stepped out of the tent, but not before casting them one last worried glance over her shoulder.

The silence in the tent was suffocating. Amelia clutched the bottle tightly, her breath coming in short, uneven bursts.

Ben moved to her side, his hand brushing against hers. "Whatever you decide, I'm here for you either way."

Amelia nodded slightly, though her gaze stayed fixed on the pill bottle in her hands. "Yeah. It's just...what if it doesn't work? What if something goes wrong?"

Ben hesitated, his mind racing. Then, as if the worst possible scenario suddenly hit him, he blurted out, "Right? W-What if it turns and starts eating you from the inside?!"

Amelia's hands flew to her abdomen, a horrified expression breaking out on her features. "Jesus fucking Christ, is that even possible?!"

"I don't know! Fuck!" Ben threw his hands up in frustration and defeat, pacing a small, frantic circle in the cramped tent.

Amelia stared at him, the panic bubbling up in her chest. But then, something absurd about the situation broke through her terror. She snorted.

He froze mid-pace. "What?"

Her snort turned into a laugh—shaky, bordering on hysterical, but a laugh nonetheless. "I mean, listen to us," she said, wiping at her eyes. "We're debating whether some monster baby would eat me alive from the inside, like something out of a horror movie. This is our life now."

Ben blinked, then cracked a weak smile. "Okay, yeah, it sounds completely insane when you say it out loud."

Ben and Amelia sat in the dim tent, the pill bottle still resting between them like a loaded question.

After a long silence, Amelia finally spoke, her voice steady but low. "I'm not doing it."

Ben looked at her, his brow furrowed. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, letting out a shaky breath. "I'm sure. No matter how terrifying this is, I just... I can't go through with it. What if there's a chance—however small—that we can make this work? Besides, we'll all be safe in Wellington, right?"

Ben exhaled deeply. "Okay," he said finally. "If that's what you want, then we'll figure it out. Together."

Amelia's lips trembled as she gave him a small, grateful smile. "Thank you."

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the decision settling over them. Ben picked up the pill bottle and stared at it for a second before tightening the cap and placing it back in the duffel bag.

When they stepped out of the tent, Amelia's shoulders were squared, and her steps were steadier. Ben stayed close beside her.

Marie and Leland exchanged a glance, their whispered conversation halting as Ben and Amelia approached.

Leland straightened, his arms crossed, his expression guarded but curious. He was the first to break the silence. "Well...?"

Amelia lifted her chin, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling in her chest. "We're keeping it," she said simply.

For a moment, neither Marie nor Leland spoke. Marie's lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes scanning Amelia's face as though searching for doubt or hesitation. Leland rubbed the back of his neck, exhaling heavily.

"Well, hell," he muttered, shaking his head. "You two sure about this? This definitely ain't gonna be a walk in the park."

"We know," Ben said, stepping closer to Amelia. "But it's what we've decided. We'll figure it out."

Marie sighed, her gaze softening slightly as she stepped forward. "Amelia, you're still young. You don't have to prove anything to anyone. This is...a huge decision."

"I know," Amelia replied, her voice firm. "But it's mine to make. And I've made it."

Marie studied her for a moment longer before nodding slowly. "Alright," she said, her tone resigned but supportive. "Well, on the bright side, if we leave for Wellington now, we might just be able to make it up there before she gives birth. There's bound to be doctors there."

"And that's if they let us in," Leland added.

Marie nodded. "Right. Just trying to be optimistic here."

"We're gonna get through this," Leland said. "The hard part will be telling Todd about this."

"Tell me what, exactly?"

The deep, familiar voice cut through the air like a knife.

They all froze. Amelia's heart dropped into her stomach as she turned to see her father standing a few feet away, his arms crossed, eyes bouncing between the group.

"Talk about bad timing," Leland muttered under his breath, scratching the back of his ear.

Marie shot him a glare before stepping forward. "Todd, honey, before we tell you, don't do anything stupid. Why don't we all just sit down and-"

"Sit down for what?" Todd's gaze fixed on Amelia, eyes narrowing. "What's going on?"

Though no one even needed to say anything. He watched as Ben took Amelia's hand and pulled her closer to him, his face going red with fury as he made the connection. "I knew it. I fucking knew it."

"Todd..." Marie tried to stop him, but he pushed past her as he marched towards Ben and Amelia.

"You!" Todd jabbed a finger accusingly at Ben, who took a step back, bracing himself for what was about to begin. "You son of bitch, you've been sneaking off and screwing around with my daughter! And now she's pregnant, isn't she? Do you have any idea what you've done?!"

"We do," Ben said quietly, his voice steady despite the tension. "And we're ready to take responsibility. We're not asking anyone to fix this for us."

Todd stared at him, his jaw clenched tight, before looking at Marie and Leland. "And what, y'all knew about this and didn't say anything to me?"

"Keep your damn voice down," Leland said through gritted teeth. "Look, I saw this comin' from a mile away. I say if we had just let the kid go his own way once he was all healed up, this whole mess could've been avoided!"

Marie sighed. "Todd, please, maybe you should listen to what he's saying. They've made their decision, and we need to figure out how to support them."

Todd let out a bitter laugh. "Support them? We're barely surviving as it is!"

"Dad, please, just stop!" Amelia said, stepping between them.

Todd's face twisted with a mixture of anger and hurt. "Oh, don't even get me started with you, you little tramp!"

Amelia flinched as if struck, her chest tightening. The atmosphere seemed to still as her eyes glistened with unshed tears. Todd froze, the anger draining from his face upon realizing what he'd just said.

"Todd!" Marie cried. "How could you say that?"

Leland simply glared at him.

Ben looked to his side and saw the shame painted on Amelia's face. At this, he felt a push of confidence he shouldn't have had and stepped toward the man. "She's not doing this alone. I love her, and I'll take care of her and the baby. I don't care how hard it gets. You can hate me all you want, but this is happening."

Todd opened his mouth to rebuke him, but instead, he clenched his fist with a low grunt of frustration. Without another word, he turned abruptly, snatching up the hunting rifle and storming off towards the woods.

"Todd, what are you doing?" Marie called after him. "We were supposed to leave for Wellington today!"

"I'm goin' for a walk to clear my head," Todd tossed over his shoulder. "I'll be back later."

"For God's sake, don't be an idiot, Todd," Leland said. "Those bandits are probably looking for us! Get back here before you get yourself killed."

But he had already disappeared into the treeline.

Amelia stood frozen, tears streaming silently down her cheeks as she stared at the ground. Marie reached out, placing a gentle hand on her daughter's shoulder, but Amelia flinched away. Without a word, she turned and ran back toward her tent, her sobs audible as she disappeared into the darkness.

Ben stood rooted in place, his head hung low, shoulders slumped in defeat. He clenched his fists, but there was no anger in him—just guilt and helplessness.

Leland stepped forward, placing a heavy hand on Ben's shoulder. The older man gave it a firm squeeze. "You did what you could, kid. Sometimes that's all you can do."

Ben shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's not enough. I promised her I'd be there for her, and I can't even keep her family together."

Leland sighed, his grip tightening. "You're not Superman, Ben. You're just a kid trying to do right in a world gone to hell. That's more than most can say. Give him some time. He'll come around."

Ben looked toward Amelia's tent, the faint sound of muffled crying reaching his ears. "I just… I don't know if she's okay."

"She's tougher than she looks," Leland said, letting his hand drop. "Give her space for now. Let her sort through it."

Ben nodded hesitantly, though his heart ached to follow her. As he turned to sit by the fire pit, Leland stayed back, his watchful eyes scanning the edge of the woods where Todd had disappeared.