𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒 [ 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬 ] ✘

Positive

No, no, no, no, no! This couldn't be happening! It just couldn't! Tears filled my eyes and I felt my chest tighten as I stared down at the positive plus sign at the end of the little white stick. How could this be?! No, no, no...

I wasn't ready for this and neither was Carl. Too much had been happening around us - we'd finally taken the step to going against Negan and all out war had begun. We couldn't bring a baby into this. It wasn't that Carl and I weren't ready but...but I didn't want a child to have to endure this - who knows how long it would be till things were back to normal for us. And besides what if...what if the baby died? Or me?

What if I died like Lori had? I could feel my heart begin to race as I started to panic, almost hyperventilating. What if that happened to me too? Then it would just be Carl left behind...with a baby. Just like Rick had been all those years ago. I couldn't do that to him!

I couldn't just... Suddenly, I felt the trickle of hot tears roll down my cheeks and I began to sob as I gripped onto the pristine white bathroom sink in the small house I shared with Carl and the others. We'd known each other since the prison days - in fact, Carl had been the one to rescue me from walkers. They'd already turned my families into those mindless creatures. I ran and ran through the woods until I'd reached the fence after that. They'd been at my back, about to tear into my flesh when he put bullets in their skulls.

He was my hero since day one. Not really a surprise I guess when we started dating. Rick and Michonne had known it all along, actually that we'd had feelings for each other. Everyone did. Glenn used to tease us the most, in fact. I cracked a smile at the memory of my surrogate brother as my hand come to rest on my flat stomach.

I smiled despite myself. He would have been supportive. There's not a doubt in my mind he would've been. But now what? What do I tell Carl or more importantly, HOW do I tell Carl? What if he didn't want a child?

My face fell at the thought and I took a steadying breath before releasing the counter top. After debating for another five minutes, I finally talked myself into telling him. He'd be on his way back now from a supply run with Rick and the others. I should be able to get him alone so we could talk. As I made my way to the gate, I could see it sliding open from where I stood. Slowly, Rick, Daryl, Tara, and lastly, Carl came striding through.

I sucked in a relieved breath as Carl smiled at something Daryl said. He was okay. He was alive. I knew he could handle himself, he'd always been able to. But...but I still worried about his safety. Or what I'd do if something were to happen to him.

I bit my lip in thought. Especially with these new developments. Suddenly, my eyes connected to blue and he smiled as he made his way over to me.

"Hey, cuteness," he greeted me, pecking my nose lightly.

He chuckled as I scrunched up my face briefly before he swept me up into a hug, lifting my feet slightly off the ground. His sheriff's hat brushed against the top of my head, tickling my skin. The scent of pudding and vanilla filled my nose and I felt at home in his arms. I mumbled a greeting against this t-shirt and he chuckled, setting me back down on the ground once more.

"Hey, uh...you got a minute?" I asked him softly, my tone changing from one of happiness to one of nervous anxiety in an instant.

The smile on his face faltered and he nodded, suddenly filled with concern as I led him over to the white gazebo in the middle of town. No one was around so we were alone. Thank goodness, I thought to myself as he sat down beside me on the bench.

"So...what did you want to talk about?" he asked me, taking my hands in his gently.

I bit my lip, feeling the words die on my tongue. What if I shouldn't tell him? What if I just left Alexandria? Carl could make a new life for himself...maybe even with Enid. I'd already heard her say several times about how she didn't want children in the future. A girl like her would never find herself in the predicament I was in.

She would be good for him. But as I glanced back up into the face of my loving boyfriend, I felt a surge of confidence. Carl would never accept that choice. He loved me too much and I him. We were made for loving each other. Always had been.

And no matter what, I knew we'd get through this. Together.

"Carl, I'm..." I said slowly, taking a deep breath before continuing, "I'm pregnant,"

He was silent then and I thought maybe I'd messed up - that I shouldn't have told him, that I should have just left like I'd originally planned on...but then a grin split his face, blue eye lighting up like it was Christmas morning.

"Are you serious?! Are you really serious?! I'm gonna be a dad?!" Carl almost shouted, jumping out of his seat.

Giggling slightly, I pulled him back down to me and pressed a quick peck to his lips before nodding.

"Yeah, you are," I smiled in answer.

"Well, how far along are you? How long have you known? Is it a boy or a girl?" he shot questions at me excitedly, making me laugh again.

"About two weeks, I found out yesterday, and I don't know what the gender is yet," I answered him, grinning.

A smile split his face again and he carefully wrapped his arms around me before placing kisses on every inch of my face, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you..."

I laughed out loud, feeling blissful. And for the first time since finding out, I felt relieved. But not only that, I also felt happy. He wasn't going to leave me and he wasn't angry. No, he wanted this baby. But then again...

"Carl, what about Negan? The war? What are we gonna-" I started to ask, pulling back from him.

But before I could finish my questions, he cupped my face in his hands, forcing me to meet his gaze.

"I don't care about that. We're gonna win this war, alright? We're gonna win and make this world a better place for our child," he assured me, removing one hand to rest it gently on my still-flat stomach, "I promise you - I won't let anything happen to you or our baby. I know we're just kids but...sometimes kids have to find their own way."

And as I gazed back into that azure eye...I knew it was true.

Note: So I wrote this one because I actually loving reading the pregnancy type one shots and I only ever wrote one other Carl one like this. And it's hard to find Carl x pregnant reader one shots. So do you guys want more like this? ^_^