Alternate title: Three Men and a Baby

[axemeaquestion]

Holy hell of a morning.

After Coach had gotten shot, the motherfucking mountain man, the one the other called Marshall, didn't waste time. The other woman quickly introduced herself as Jean, a nurse and Marshall's wife, and had barely started trying to stop Coach's bleeding when Marshall brought up the bunker. It was less of a reccomendation and more like a demand. With Coach bleeding as bad as he was coupled with Rochelle's condition, which he would bring up later, the faster they got out the better.

And it was just in time, because as soon as the four of them got out of the hospital and made their quick introductions. Well, introductions coupled with arguing, especially when it was brought up who had shot Coach. Jean was about to shut them up with the roar of a horde did it for her. It didn't take more than a second for them to decide what to do. They abandoned the van (temporarily, they hoped), carried Coach and Rochelle into Marshall and Jean's pickup truck, piled in, and drove the fuck out.

Coach managed to stay conscious, even with all the blood he was losing. Rochelle, though, was out hot (pun intended) in her feverish condition. Jean did her best with the both of them. She said there was a doctor at the bunker, a co-worker she escaped with before she found Marshall again, who could give them a lot better help. Otherwise, between driving and trying to stablize the others, Jean and Marshall didn't have much focus to explain themselves and the bunker. As soon as they were out of the woods, that story was being saved.

The horde finally caught up when they got to the bunker. The slow opening door didn't help. But a crescendo later and the door opened enough for them to crawl under, and all that's left was to shoot the zombies trying to do the same until the door slid closed, just as slowly.

It finally did, and Coach leaned against the wall. He panted, hard.

"God DAMN..."

Jean moved over to him and offered an arm. Marshall was already carrying the unconscious Rochelle in both arms of his own arms, seeing as he wasn't sure how good of an idea it was to haul a pregnant woman over his shoulders.

"Gotta agree with that shit." He grunted. "Doc better still be here."

Comments

[candyass]

"Jesus, yeah, let the kid sleep." He did not need Ellis bouncing around this goddamn room right now. He felt a headache coming on bad enough as it was.

He rubbed his hand over when she curled further into herself and let out a sigh. When they're gone, he let out a short sigh. "You need anything?"

He knows he keeps asking that, but... hell, it's not like they're prepared. Hard to prepare for childbirth when you've spent most of it running for your lives from shit that wants to kill you.

[axemeaquestion]

No kidding.

Another silence.

"I don't know."

[candyass]

"Yeah, okay." He was quiet for now, keeping his hand moving over her back since she hadn't moved away or told him to stop yet.

"Just let me know if you do."

[axemeaquestion]

The (ex, assistant) producer let out a deep, DEEP sigh. She still hadn't turned back to face him, nor did she react much to his hand. She would have appreciated it more if the impending baby thing wasn't so heavy in her mind.

It's not like she hadn't had nine fucking months to think about it.

"That's the thing, Nick. I don't know."

[candyass]

"Jesus, Rochelle, I'm just offering to get you water or ice or... whatever you're supposed to have." He bites at the inside of his cheek, going quiet a moment.

"Unless you want to talk about the kid thing, but it seems like you wanna give her up, so I don't know what else there is to say." And really, they should. That's what they'd decided, right? And Nick was pretty damn sure he wouldn't make an amazing dad by any means... or even an okay one.

[axemeaquestion]

"I didn't SAY that. I said IF."

Okay, this time she's rolling around to face them. It's uncomfortable as hell as she does, but she manages.

"If we--don't. I mean."

[candyass]

"If," Nick repeated. "What's that supposed to mean, Rochelle? You want to keep her? Because you seemed pretty damn sure when this first happened that you didn't."

[axemeaquestion]

Rochelle's eyes narrow at Nick as she tries to adjust herself. It hurts, but god dammit if she can't pick her own ass up.

"It means I thought I--" Rochelle feels another pang hit her as she tries to pull herself upright. It doesn't work. She winces, biting back a sound, and sinks into the pillows. Soft, thankfully. "I THOUGHT I didn't want her. I don't--I don't know anymore. I don't want to just throw her into someone else's lap, okay?"

[candyass]

"So what, you want to talk about keeping her?" Nick can't help the uncertain way his voice comes out. He's not sure what the hell he'd do with a kid, how he'd raise her.

Doesn't mean some part of him doesn't want to keep her either, after busting his ass to keep her safe. Hard not to care about a kid after all the crap they'd been through to make sure she'd even be born.

[axemeaquestion]

She goes quiet for a moment, looking at him. She knows that tone, and she studies his expression. Well, hell.

Her expression softens.

"You don't sound like you know, either."

[candyass]

"I don't," he finally muttered, rubbing a hand over his own face. Might as well say it.

"But it looks like we don't have a hell of a lot of time to decide either."

[axemeaquestion]

Tiredly: "I figured."

She lulls her head back until she's staring up at the ceiling. Slowly, she takes a few deep breaths and closes her eyes.

"I should've made us talk about it sooner."

'Made them' because they had a rough idea of what they were going to do, but they always avoided WHO they were going to give their daughter to.

... Daughter. Right. That's another word they avoided.

[candyass]

"What would that have done?" he shrugged.

"We've been a little preoccupied lately and hell, there aren't a lot of options here anyway. There's one freaking couple we could give her to, Rochelle... that'd want her."

He paused. "Only other option is keeping her. Hell if I know how we'd raise a kid."

[axemeaquestion]

She sighs.

"I know."

She just wasn't so sure anymore. Suddenly it was more complicated than it used to be.

[candyass]

"I mean, what the hell would we do if we kept it? I mean, I ain't exactly a father type, you know?" Though he was pretty sure Rochelle could handle it, if she really wanted.

But it definitely didn't seem as easy anymore even if he had that voice in his head telling him to stop being a dumbass.

"Doesn't sound like you're too sure though."

[axemeaquestion]

"I know, Nick." She almost snapped, but she was too damned mentally exhausted about the subject at this point. Then, more softly: "I know."

Because she didn't think she was the mother type either. It wasn't true, she knew how to look after kids. Or Ellis. But raising her own child was too damned daunting in her mind.

She didn't answer his last remark.

[candyass]

Nick was quiet, himself. Too damn much on his mind to even care about the snappish response. He shook his head and let out a sigh. What the hell were they gonna do?

And it sounded like he could almost hear the freaking clock ticking away now. They didn't have time to not have a decision at all.

[axemeaquestion]

God dammit Nick, say or do something that will actually help her.

Because this awkward, ominous silence is getting to her.

Rochelle didn't know why she had even half-expected an answer from him. Nick wouldn't know. They talked about all this a long time ago. He already SAID he wouldn't be a good father. And Ro didn't think she'd be a great mother, either.

She sighed.

It had to be up to her, huh?

"Let's figure it out when she--" UGH GOD NOT AGAIN MORE PAIN. Rochelle groans, hard. "--when she wants to come out. Which is gonna be soon, shit."

God dammit. She would get up and walk around or something. But moving is a task and a half. And yet she wanted to move.

She could feel the pain getting more frequent too. That was a sign if anything.

[candyass]

Hell, if he knew what to say that would help either of them, he'd have said it. Maybe after they got her through this shit, they could make the decision. Hard to think when they were both stuck on how the kid'd be coming out soon.

And shit-- where the hell was Travis?

He moved back to the bed and reached for her shoulder. He'd seen her attempts to move and fuck, if she thought it'd help--

"Want me to help you up? Move around a little or something?"

[axemeaquestion]

Rochelle hesitates. Finally, she nods. For once, she doesn't stiffen when he touches her.

"Yeah, please."

She offers his arm out to him and slides her legs off the bed.

[candyass]

"Okay, easy." He keeps a hand on her arm, helping her carefully off the bed. He doesn't step away either, sticking close just in case she needs the support.

"Feel a little better now?"

wanna skip to BABBY IMMINENTLY COMING in a sec?

[axemeaquestion]

"Not really." She grunts as she puts her feet on the floor and starts walking.

"But sort of. Thanks."

She's not really in the mood to anymore for several reasons, but she smiles anyway.

Sure! You want to skip ahead or me?

[candyass]

"Not a problem, sweetheart." He stays close, walking around the room while keeping a hand on her back lightly.

He returns the smile, not that he's really feeling it much either.

I can

[axemeaquestion]

A few hours passed. It felt longer for Rochelle. But now that she was lying back in the gurney bed, legs spread out with Travis right there in the middle as if he was gonna catch whatever shot out of her crotch--yeah. Ro changed her mind. She could have handled a few more hours. Because pushing? Yeah, no, pushing was the worst part.

"You're doing good, Ro!" Speak of the devil, Jean was at Rochelle's side with her hand on her shoulder.

Jesus christ, this could only be worse if Ellis was here. Rochelle was already sweating hard, panting hard, and yelling hard. She woke up half the bunker already. Coach, god bless him, was outside explaining to everyone that the baby was coming and they needed the privacy. The others didn't need to be told twice, and turned the hallway outside into a waiting room. Ro was glad the blinds were closed now.

But that was the least of her concerns now.

"Okay, another big push--"

"Jesus CHRIST!"

[candyass]

"C'mon, Ro, you're doing good," Nick repeated, holding one of her hands in his while the other rested against her other shoulder. Like hell was he gonna wait outside... even if he wasn't sure this was a freaking show he wanted. He hoped to God Coach was out there keeping Ellis at bay though because seriously? Pretty much everyone was awake now and they did not need the kid bouncing around in here.

Asking dumbass questions.

Jesus Christ, that looked painful though.