Those Who Survive

How To Care About Another

Sorry for the long wait. I moved, and I don't have internet where I live. But I go back to my parents' every two weeks, and they have internet. So next time I have internet access, I will have more updates ready for you guys.

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"I don't know what to do," Nate grunts, trying to rock a screaming Oliver in his arms, "He just won't stop crying!"

"Give him to me," Ken chuckles, gently taking the baby from his friend's arms. Nate huffs, crossing his arms once Ken has the baby, "I don't know why he doesn't like me."

It takes Ken only a moment to quiet Oliver's cries, the baby coos gently, staring up at Ken with bright eyes. Ken smiles down at the child before looking back at Nate, "I'm sure he likes you plenty, Nate. You just have to know how to hold him. Here."

He tries to hand the baby back to him, but Nate shakes his head, "N-no thanks. I'm good.."

Ken simply smiles softly, handing the baby out to him again, "Go on. He's not gonna bite."

Nate chuckles lightly, "Not yet, he doesn't have any teeth."

"Just take the baby, Nate." Ken laughs.

Nate rolls his eyes before reaching out for Oliver to be placed in his arms. Ken hands the child over, showing Nate how to hold him properly. Oliver starts to cry at first, but then settles as Nate's hold is adjusted. Ken smiles, "See? He likes you just fine."

"How are you already this great with babies?" Nate asks, astonished.

Ken's smile remains, but there's a deep sadness in his eyes, "I had one once."

Nate's expression falls, "Oh... Do you.. Want to talk about it?"

Ken sighs softly, moving and taking a seat on the couch. He looks away, running a hand through his hair. Nate frowns lightly, "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to."

"I know that," Ken states, "And.. I really don't mind telling you, I just.. It's just.."

Tears start to fill his eyes and he frowns, "I haven't talked to anyone about it since this all started.."

Nate comes and sits next to him on the couch, careful of his own movements not to jostle the now sleeping baby in his arms as well as his own still-healing injury.

"Take your time." he speaks softly.

"As you already know, I was away when the Infection began," Ken begins, "So I haven't seen my wife and daughter in almost seven months. My daughter, Layla was just a baby, barely a year old. I left her and my wife, Mary back in Austin and with everything that's happened, I don't.."

He heaves a heavy, shaky sigh as he wipes the tears from his eyes as they start to fall. Nate stares at him with a sad, knowing look. There are people in his life that he, too, has given up hope on. He's not proud of it, but it's just a fact of this new life he and everyone else has been forced to live. He hesitantly reaches out and puts his hand lightly on the older man's shoulder, "I get it. You don't have to say anything else."

Ken looks back at him, thankful understanding in his eyes. Nate smiles softly, "I'm glad that you trust me enough to tell me something so personal."

Ken mimics his smile, "You say that like you're untrustworthy, which is a complete lie if you ask me."

Nate chuckles awkwardly, looking away as his face heats up a bit, "Yeah, well.. I'm glad someone like you has so much faith in me.."

"Someone like me?" Ken laughs softly, as not to wake the baby, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You, know," Nate shakes his head, still smiling, "You're like.. Our leader or whatever. Your opinion means a lot, I guess."

Ken smiles a little brighter, "Well, I appreciate how much you all look up to me. Though, I really have no idea what I'm doing."

"Could've fooled us," Nate grins.

Ken chuckles, "Thanks."

"For what?" Nate raises an eyebrow.

"Cheering me up," Ken replies.

"I'm the one that reminded you of the sadness," Nate sighs, "So, really, I was just trying to make up for that."

Ken tilts his head lightly, watching him, "Well either way, thank you."

"You don't.." Nate looks away again, unsure of why his face feels so hot right now, "You don't have to thank me, Ken.."

Ken just smiles and after a moment he stands and holds out his hands, "Here, I'll take little Oli back to Stephanie."

Nate is slightly started by the topic change, but also thankful. He smiles awkwardly and carefully holds the baby out for Ken to take, "Is she still asleep?"

Ken takes Oliver just as carefully, settling the child before putting his attention back on Nate, "Last I checked, she was."

Nate pushes himself to stand and follows Ken towards Stephanie's room, "Do you think it'll work? Mark's blood transfusion thing?"

"I don't know," Ken admits, "But I hope so. I don't want to bury anyone else so soon after Mary-Jane."

"Yeah," Nate nods, frowning, remembering that all too close day, "Me, too."

They enter the room and Nate's saddened to see that Stephanie is still under her pseudo coma. Ken walks over and gently places the baby in the bed next to his mother and steps back. He just stares at them for a few silent moments and Nate glances at him with a hint of sadness. He had heard Ken was a parent, but he didn't know the details before now. He feels bad for him, Ken was the only one of them that had a real family, that he knew of anyway. Bob and Wade had wives, he's sure of, but he doesn't know if they had kids or not and it's too late for him to ask even if he wanted to. Nate looks away, embarrassed for staring at his friend.

He glances at Stephanie instead and wallows in that sadness for the friend he is the most powerless to help. He hopes, more than anything, that she'll come out of this all right because he has no idea if he'll be able to function without her. And then there's Oliver, he deserves to grow up with his mother, telling him all the great tales about his father. If Nate has to tell that little boy about all the ways his parents were amazing, of course he will, but he desperately doesn't want to have to.