Here We Are, Come Join Us (The Walking Dead FanFiction)

Chapter 14

Allison followed Carl to an area where there was not much else but a fence, which Rick was leaning against. "I found her, dad!" he announced proudly.

"Good job, thanks. Now why don't you go find your mom and see if she needs any help."

Carl dashed off and Rick pulled something out of his pants pocket.

"My wife took some of these..." he held out a half-empty pack of Morning After pills, "but she says she threw them up. Do you think she'll be OK? I...I need a medical opinion right now."

Allison noted that the lawman was perspiring far beyond what the heat of the day might have caused and that his eyes looked unusually wide and almost frightened.

"Do you know how long after taking them she vomited? It takes at least 20 minutes for any pill to start digesting and get into your system, so if she did it right away, she should be fine."

"I'm under the impression that she threw them up very shortly after taking them," he replied, looking down at the package in his hand. He looked up into Allison's eyes. "So you don't think there's any danger...?"

"Not from those pills, no," Allison responded. "But I warned her when I gave her those not to go off and take them alone..."

"Wait a minute, you gave her the pills?"

"Yes, that's why I rode into town with Glenn this morning, Lori asked me to fetch them for her."

Rick started to pace in small, angry circles. "Here I thought Glenn had gotten 'em for her, but you – a doctor...!"

"No matter your personal belief, abortion is currently legal in the state of Georgia," Allison said quietly.

"And it never occurred to you to mention it to me, her husband?" he stomped his foot and rubbed a hand over his head in frustration.

"For what it's worth, I did urge her to discuss the situation with you before she decided anything, but in the end I have to respect patient confidentiality."

"I'm sorry but I don't think the old rules apply anymore," he shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but some rules will always apply," Allison replied. "As far as I'm concerned I would do the same if you or any other man in camp came to me with some medical condition."

"Even if it affects the rest of us?" Rick demanded.

"Yes, unless it's something that can potentially harm people like a walker bite or a venereal disease. But other than that, I'm not the Camp Tattle-Tale; it's up to the patient to disclose whether she's pregnant or he's diabetic or whatever."

"Who's diabetic?" he asked.

"No one that I know of, that was just an example."

The two were silent for several minutes and Rick seemed to calm down ever so slightly.

"So," he said, looking down at the ground, "can you help to take care of Lori? Do you know anything about...."

"About 'birthin' babies'"? Allison asked in a Butterfly McQueen voice. "I've done rounds in the maternity ward, I've worked with OB/Gyns...it's not my specialty but I've had experience in that area, yes. And..." she gave him a small smile, "I did happen to grab some pre-natal vitamins and Folic acid while I was at the pharmacy just in case Lori changed her mind."

Rick took a deep breath and visibly collected himself. "I'd appreciate it if you'd advise her on what all she needs to take, vitamin-wise and such. And I'm sorry if I was rough with you, it's just..."