𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 ➳ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬

Chapter 11 ~ Blurting Out the Truth

Note: Yes, it's Delena in the GIF, yes, there was no other GIF to work with, and yes, I AM a shipper ;)

It'd been a week now since I'd told Daryl about the baby. He, of course, couldn't quit asking questions - how long had I known, did I want it to be a boy or a girl, had I thought of any names yet, etc. I rolled my eyes playfully, thinking of how happy it had made my father just to know he'd be a grandfather again. He also had been pressing me to tell Carl. And...I knew I should. Truthfully, I was just a bit scared to, though.

My Converse shoes made a pitter-patter sound as I walked along the cracked road of Alexandria back to the house I shared with him. A tired sigh escaped my lips once I'd finally reached it and made my way inside, kicking off my shoes in the doorway. It had been a very long day at the infirmary. One of the new residences of Alexandria had gotten a cold and then because of contact with her, other citizens had it now as well. Thank goodness Winnie or Judith hadn't caught it. All thanks to Michonne's great babysitting, I guess, I thought with a wry smile.

I was so thankful I'd met here. Although if it hadn't been for Carl, I wouldn't have gotten to know her so well. My eyes fluttered shut then as I leaned my back against the wall. Carl. I still hadn't told him. A whole week and I had said not one word to him about it.

If I waited any longer, the baby could tell him, I thought to myself sarcastically. I guess I was so scared because this was the first time telling the father of my child. Owen had died before I could tell him, gosh before I'd even found out myself. But I didn't want any words unsaid between Carl and I.

In this crazy world, you didn't need to bottle up your emotions - leaving things forever unsaid. I knew it from experience.

"You okay?" a deep voice cut through the thoughts in my head like a knife, clearing the fog.

My brown eyes fluttered open into a familiar ice-blue orb. I nodded to him, shooting him a smile.

"Oh, I didn't know you were home... Yeah, I'm fine," I responded, beginning to climb up the stairs to our bedroom.

Winnie had wanted to sleep over at 'Papaw' Rick's and 'Mamaw' Michonne's so it was just the two of us for the night.

"You've been doing that a lot lately," Carl commented as he followed me into our room.

I could hear the concern in his voice but instead of answering, I just sighed tiredly before shrugging off my lab coat onto the floor. Padding across the carpet over to the closet though, I questioned him.

"Doing what?" I threw over my shoulder, pretending to not have a clue what he was talking about.

"Come on, don't play dumb. You know exactly what I'm talking about, Angel," he said seriously, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Look, I just...I have a lot on my mind, okay?" I snapped at him, sick of the third degree.

"Yeah and you think I don't?" he bit back at me.

A growl rose up in my throat and I rolled my eyes as I quickly changed out of my medical clothes into my regular ones. Pulling a Buffy the Vampire Slayer t-shirt on, I sent my fiancee a harsh glare.

"Oh, of course! 'Cause being Rick's second-in-command is such hard work," I spat, sarcasm dripping from my words like venom, "Try being a doctor for this town, raising Winnie, and still going on supply runs with Rick and Daryl,"

"That's not fair and you know it - we both raise Winnie!" he shouted, his voice hardening at the unsaid accusation.

"Well, you didn't have to worry about having her so young!" I shot back loudly before my voice started to break with emotion, "Or what you were gonna do when you had to raise her alone!"

I felt my mood tip from anger to sadness in seconds as I continued to rant at Carl, still shouting at him.

"At least you knew what you were getting yourself into when you started to date me! I had no idea I'd have a child when I met Owen,"

"And that's my fault how?!" Carl snapped, "Maybe you should have known what you were getting yourself into then!"

"Yeah, maybe I should have! But I didn't, Carl! I didn't know I'd have to worry about the things I do now! And I want that back! I want it back more than anything in the world! Maybe that's why I'm so scared now to be pregnant again!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

I gasped when I realized what I'd said and my hand flew to my mouth as Carl stared at me in complete shock. Silence reigned between us and I felt regret ripple through me. I hadn't meant to say it like that. That's not how I'd wanted him to find out - by a screaming match that neither of us wanted. I glanced up at him to see him still in shock, not saying one word. Squeezing my eyes shut, I felt my chest heave with unshed tears.

Carefully, I sat down on the bed and unbidden, a sob escaped my mouth. That sudden sound must have broken his reverie though because slowly, he made his way over to me. Carl knelt down in front of me, his hands gently resting on my knees. This was it. This was the part I was so scared of - the farewell. He was leaving me because he didn't want the baby.

Another raw sob erupted from my throat then as I was consumed by my own emotions. I'd be raising another child by myself. Suddenly, I couldn't stop the sobs that wracked my body and I felt Carl shush me softly. His thumbs brushed away my tears as they came until finally, they'd subsided enough for him to speak to me.

"Why are you crying? Aren't..." he started, unsure of his own voice as he spoke before clearing his throat and starting again, "Don't you want to have a baby with me?"

My eyes met his briefly then and I could see the uncertainty in his blue eye.

"Of course! But...but you don't," I said, my voice nearly inaudible on the last part.

"What?" he asked in confusion, completely caught off-guard by my words, "What are you talking about? Of course I want this child!"

My head snapped up at the declaration and I breathed in suddenly.

"Wha-... Y-you want this baby?" I asked him in disbelief, briefly sliding my hand onto my stomach.

A grin split his face and I felt my heart soar in my chest. He wanted this child? He really wanted this?!

"Want it?! Angel, I've wanted to start a family with you for a long time," he smiled, his hands moving up my thighs to rest on either side of me, "I didn't think it would be this soon. I mean, I thought we'd be married by that time but...you have no idea how much I want this child,"

With gentle, slow motions, he lifted up the lower half of my t-shirt so that my bare stomach was showing. It was flat still - I wouldn't have a baby bump for at least a couple of months. But he beamed with joy anyway and gently pressed a soft kiss to my stomach. My skin tingled at the touch of his lips there and I smiled, my fingers roving through his shaggy brown hair. He broke the kiss before beginning to speak.

"Hi, baby... I guess I'm your father," he whispered against my belly.

He grinned up at me then and I returned it, feeling my heart swell.

"We're having a baby," he said quietly, more to himself or me, I was unsure but there was no mistaking the happiness on his face as he continued, "I'm gonna be a daddy!"

He laughed out loud then and before I knew it, he'd swept me up into his arms and began spinning me around the room. The both of us laughed like little kids as he held me in his arms, the joy unmistakable on both our faces. He set me down on the ground then, my feet touching the carpet once more before he pulled me into a kiss. His arms wrapped around me tightly, pulling my body flush against his. There was so much desperation, so much passion in that one single kiss that it made my whole body shiver. The kiss escalated quickly and after that, all I could feel was his hands on my body - the way his fingertips brushed against the skin peeking out from underneath my t-shirt.

His lips moved from my mouth to my neck then and I sighed happily as we backed up. My back hit the bed then and he hovered over me, pressing more kisses down my neck as my eyes fluttered shut at his gentle touch. I love Carl. I love him so much.