luna mortimer-smith had long learned not to trust anyone, staying in the middle of the woods as to avoid any contact with the dead or any other humans.
one evening, she'd gone out to check her hunting traps like usual. little did she realize, thoug...
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"Did you really think I wouldn't notice?" Carl's words hung in the air as they stared back at each other. "I...I mean, really? I've heard you for the last few mornings. At first, I didn't think anything about it. I...I thought you were just sick or something, you know? But after this morning...actually seeing you...I dunno, I just..." He sighed, running a hand over his face. "Why didn't you say anything?" Luna set her fork down, her hands clutching together in her lap as she looked down. "Luna?"
"I just..." Luna finally managed to choke out. Flashes of their first and only fight came to her mind, it had been just days before the war had ended. She still felt bad for bringing it up, for not thinking about Lori at all. "I didn't want to upset you." She didn't see, but a deep frown had set in on his face. "I don't even know for sure I..." She sighed. "I'm sorry." She heard Carl's chair scrape against the wood floor, and she assumed she'd heard him stomp upstairs or out the front door, but she didn't. Carl moved over to her, pulling her chair out and kneeling down in front of her. She only realized how much her hands were shaking when Carl wrapped his around them.
"Luna..." Carl's voice was barely above a whisper. "I'm not...I'm not upset." She finally looked up from their hands, meeting his eye. "I'm not mad, I'm not...I'm not anything other than...than happy. Happy and excited and yeah, scared, but still. Happy."
"Really?" The tears Luna had been fighting back were now starting to spill, despite her best efforts.
"I just...I couldn't consider it back then." He nodded. "At all. The only time I'd ever seen anyone go through a pregnancy during this...well, you know how it ended. I just...I assumed that would happen to you too, or just something would. Something would happen and you wouldn't make it out alive. So I didn't think about it. But now? After Maggie and Hershel...and they're both totally okay I...I started thinking about it." He swallowed hard. "Our whole lives have been controlled by fear for how long? How many years? I was terrified of what would happen, what could happen, that I didn't think about how I actually felt. What I actually wanted.
"Or what you wanted. I was so focused on myself, on my own fears and trauma that I couldn't see that you felt different. And it wasn't fair. So I'm sorry for that." He breathed, moving his hands from hers and resting them on her cheeks, wiping her tears with his thumbs. "I know it's been a long time, and you've probably already forgiven me, but still. I'm sorry." She moved her hands, taking a light hold of both of his wrists. "I don't want to live in fear anymore. I don't want to be stopped from having a life because I'm afraid. I don't want to stop myself from creating a family with you just because of how my mom died.
"So if you are pregnant...I'm happy." Finally, the hint of a smile came to his face. "Really I...the thought of us, having kids I...I want that. More than anything. I want you to be happy, and I wanna give you everything I possibly can. Just because the world ended, doesn't mean we can't restart it. It doesn't mean we can't still have lives."
"Carl we don't even know if I am." Luna breathed. "I...I want to be. But we don't know."
"Then let's find out." He nodded resolutely. "We can go to the Hilltop, just the two of us. We'll say it's just to visit Maggie or something, no one's gonna question it. And we'll find out." She nodded lightly, and a bigger smile spread across Carl's face. He stood up, moving his hands into hers before pulling her up as well. She fell into his chest, finally letting her tears bubble over as she wrapped her arms tightly around him.
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
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"It's so good to see you two." Maggie sighed, finally releasing Carl from their hug, just to pull Luna into one. "Really, you have...no idea." They pulled away, Maggie's smile shining brightly.
"We thought it would be nice to come see you." Luna said. "And meet baby Hershel, of course. Rick and Michonne said that he was adorable."
"Oh he is." Maggie's smile widened. "He's down for a nap right now, but it should only be another hour or two before he gets hungry and wakes up. Come on, Enid should be up at the big house and she'll be so happy to see you both, too." Carl took Luna's hand as they walked up towards the house, following behind Maggie. The Hilltop seemed a lot better off with her in charge and Luna still couldn't figure why Gregory had run to the Saviors and given it all up. But they'd found him when they raided the Sanctuary months back, and it had been Maggie and Jesus' decision to kill him. Everyone agreed with them so it wasn't a big deal, and no one shed a tear for him once he was gone.
The rest of the day slipped by pretty fast, Luna and Carl hanging out with Enid as Maggie and Jesus were busy with work, though they all met up in Jesus' trailer for dinner.
"So, besides my son..." Maggie chuckled lightly, looking down at Hershel as he cooed in her lap. "What brings you two by?" Luna and Carl shared a glance. "What?"
"Well uh..." Luna scratched her head, trying to figure out what to say. They hadn't told anyone at home their real reason for coming, so neither had had to say it yet.
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"Congratulations, Luna." Dr. Carson smiled. "You're pregnant."
