Don't let go: Joel Miller x OC

One...Two...Three

Another gut wrenching contraction shredded through Ava's abdomen as she gasped for air. She allowed herself to collapse onto the bed whilst clenching ahold of her rock solid stomach, a debilitatingly pained wail escaping her throat.

She couldn't remember the contractions being this intense with Sam... although she had been pretty numb to everything at that time. Had she even been capable of feeling that level of pain? Most of that memory had been blocked out. Moments erased from her sore mind.

She allowed the pain to subside before taking in a sharp determined breath and propping herself back up. She couldn't stay here on her own. Why the fuck did there have to be a horde today? Today of all fucking days! There hadn't been a sighting in weeks but it was just her luck that one showed up right on top of her going into labour... That or their imminent child was just an asshole... they were part Joel after all.

"Didn't fancy waiting for your Daddy, huh?" Stroking a palm over her swell, heart pounding, "No? Could you at least try and sit tight until he's home?"

Ava's eyes squeezed closed. Until he came home... How long would that be? Could she cross her legs and hold the little one in that long? Was that even a possibility in the first place?.... What if he didn't come home...

She snapped herself out from the falling thoughts, they weren't productive right now. Recognising that at this moment in time, in Joel's absence, she very much required someone that would be able to calm her escalating mind...someone who wouldn't let her spiral into the belief that her husband had been torn apart by bastard infected fucks, leaving her to raise his child alone... widowed within a year of marrying him... Oh god, she couldn't spiral... She needed Maria and needed her stat!

Ava grunted whilst mustering up all of the energy she harboured to force herself to her feet before waddling over to throw on one of Joel's shirts. If she couldn't physically have him with her, perhaps being wrapped in his scent would provide some sort of emotional comfort, "C'mon, let's go and see your Aunty... I reckon she'd love some company..."

She slowly ambled out of her home and made it half way down the street before another excruciating contraction struck her tired body, pinning her in place and folding her down to contain what felt like a sharp knife to the gut - another sensation she was all too familiar with.

"Fuuck." The blonde growled between gritted teeth as she tried to push forwards. Her hands clammy and tightly clasped either side of her distended middle.

Deep breaths. In...one, two, three. Out...one, two, three. She mentally coached herself. She needed to breath though the contractions, she could just about remember that from last time.

The street was empty... Of course it fucking was. No one within ears reach around to help her. She took another deep intake of oxygen, feeling her lungs expand beneath her ribs and with a driven grunt forced herself to keep moving.

It felt like a small eternity and a strain to her vulnerable form. Her body screaming at her to stop and stay put but eventually her tiresome legs dragged their way to Maria's door. Her fist beat onto the hard wood uncontrollably as she urgently called for her friend. For someone.

"Maria!....shit... Maria, argh, open the fuck up!"

The door crept open just as her body became subject to another constricting muscular spasm. Her small frame doubling over in the doorway as a pained cry snatched out from her throat. Legs buckling and arms folding under her middle.

Maria's face dropped as soon as the partition creaked open, instinctively understanding all to well what was happening to the other woman, her friend. An empathetic croon. "Oh sweetie..."